6-25-18
It was the O’s versus the M’s in the MLB.TV free game (also known as the Orioles and Mariners). It was “Halfway to Christmas” at the Camden Yards ballpark. The statues at the stadium were wearing
scarves and sock hats. The bird mascot
(I don’t know his name) visited the announcers
in the booth in a Santa outfit. There
was a snow globe giveaway.
As for the game, Andrew Cashner for the Orioles got the
announcers’ attention in the second. After two quick outs, he suddenly couldn’t find the strikezone.
He gave up three walks and two runs scored before he got the last out. The O’s loaded the bases in the sixth. Jean
Segura at short made two great plays on grounders. A pair of runs scored, but he got two outs
and limited the damage. In the eighth, M’s manager Scott
Servais started arguing a reviewed call, which sort of defeats the purpose
of reviewing calls. One of his coaches
ran out and got him, not wanting to have to manage the team today. The Mariners
won 5-3.
I was listening
to the Chihuahuas’ game against the Grizzlies today, but just couldn’t
pay attention while at work. That was a
shame since it was a good game. The pups won 7-5 and that was their sixth
win in a row.
6-26-18
The Tigers played the A’s on the MLB.TV free game. Rod Allen is one of my favorite color
commentator guys. On a sliding play at
the plate, he pointed out the on deck hitter gave directions to the runner to
get him in safely. There’s all sorts of little things going on during a game that you
never notice.
The ballpark
reporter did an interview with Stephen
Piscotty’s father.
His extended family was there, taking up a whole section. I think Piscotty’s mother had recently died and the family was there to
support him. As he’s an A’s player, the group was wearing a
curious mix of Tigers and A’s gear.
His father was stoic, but obviously holding in his emotions. He was wearing an A’s hat, but finished the interview with a “Go Tigers,” statement. The broadcasters said they were rooting for
the Tigers, but also rooting for Stephen.
It was 7-6 Tigers
in the seventh and a steady stream of Detroit “fans” were leaving their seats.
Hmph. Oh, then I turned up the
volume and realized that it was raining there and they were headed for
cover. There was a more noticeable
deluge a couple minutes later. They
questionably played through it, but after five minutes the rain stopped. I’m guessing they had a close eye on the
radar. The Tigers didn’t hold on though and lost
9-7.
The pregame chat before
the Chihuahuas’ game actually had me laughing out
loud. Steve Kaplowitz was relating a story from several years ago. He was out on location for the radio station
wearing an Elmo costume. Across the
street, there was a robbery of an armored car with shots fired. Local news showed up and started interviewing
witness, of which Kappy was one. Since
he’d been wearing the costume for a while,
he looked terrible. Not wanting to go on
camera with his hair messed up, he did the interview wearing the Elmo
costume. He says he has the tape
somewhere. If Kappy finds it, he said he’ll post it immediately, fully expecting it to go viral.
Even with that
great story, the game was still interesting.
The Grizzlies’ starting pitcher was named Dykxhoorn. That’s pronounced “Dykes-horn,” if you’re
calling the game at home. The pups went
down by four after two innings, but came back in a big way in the third with
six runs on seven hits. The wind really
picked up at the stadium (and here) at that time, so there might have been a
correlation.
They put up three
more next inning and almost needed them.
In the sixth and up 9-5, the Grizz loaded the bases with AJ Reed coming up to bat. He’s hit the most home runs against the
Chihuahuas in their existence.
Thankfully, he struck out.
Whew! The Chihuahuas won 9-5 and that’s
their seventh in a row.
6-27-18
It was another
audio-only game on MLB.TV’s free game. Since it was the Diamondbacks, that’s okay.
I understand. The Marlins’ guy wasn’t
doing it for me. I was able to switch
the audio this time. Unfortunately, it
wasn’t much better. Where’s Greg
Schulte? I used to listen to him all
the time when KROD carried D-Backs’ games.
I guess he didn’t go on the trip. And it didn’t
matter, I wasn’t able to listen anyway. D-backs
won 2-1.
I got to hear a
bit more of the Chihuahuas and the Rivercats. The pups were down 3-0 until the fourth. They had a scoring chance, but the runner was
held at third. Tim Hagerty chuckled as the crowd boo’d. The coaches are aware that the El Paso fans
are passionate and want aggressive baserunning, but one must be prudent. It was a good call. The Chihuahuas went on to score five runs in
the inning and batted around, 5-3 Chihuahuas.
The next moment of drama came into the ninth. The Rivercats got two on and a single and an
error brought in a run. Phil Maton had to come in, and he got
the save. That’s 5-4 Chihuahuas
and their eighth win in a row. Whoa.
6-28-18
I missed the MLB.TV free game. I also couldn’t
get the Chihuahuas’ game at my other desk at work. But fear not, I still had access to FOX Sports Radio and got to listen to,
wait for it, the Richmond Flying
Squirrels. They were playing the Harford Yard Goats. It was the battle of questionable team
names. I just heard the end; the Goats
beat the Squirrels. (I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence.) The announcers were really impressed with the
Goat starter, Peter Lambert, and
predicted he’d be in Triple-A soon. They also did a postgame haiku about the
game. Yes really, and it’s a regular feature.
If I hadn’t been listening to Eric Nadel doing limericks all season
on Rangers’ baseball, it would have been the
strangest thing I’d ever heard on a baseball broadcast.
Back at my desk,
I picked up the Chihuahuas just as they
went down 5-0 to Grizzlies in the
third on a wind-aided home run. “The Chihuahuas have the Grizzlies right where they want
them,” said Tim Hagerty. Certainly, they’d made some good comebacks lately. Indeed, the pups scored two in the fourth. Unfortunately, the Grizz kept scoring and won
12-4.
Chihuahuas’ pitching, not good
Fickle wind blows
out
The winning
streak ends tonight
Okay, not my best
work, but five minutes well spent. (Don’t ask me to do a limerick.)
6-29-18
The MLB.TV free game was the Cardinals versus the Braves.
I wrote my Aunt Judy to tell her I was watching her team. They had a couple of guests in the booth for
the Cardinals’ broadcast. One was AJ
Pierzynksi. I didn’t realize he was a former Cardinal. I don’t think I liked him as a player
(respected, not liked), but I’ve enjoyed it whenever I’ve heard him do color commentary. They showed a clip of AJ catching, where he
framed a pitch that bounced to the plate, and did it again on another pitch of
the at bat. He actually argued with the
ump, trying to get the call. Hunter Pence, the batter, was confused
and wasn’t sure if he should be laughing or
arguing too.
It was still 0-0
going into the seventh inning. The
Braves finally scored via Ender Inciarte,
former Chihuahua, getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. They loaded the bases again in the eighth and
scored two more. The final was 5-1 Atlanta. Starting pitching was good for both teams,
but the Cardinals’ bullpen gave it up. The Braves are still looking good.
It rained in El
Paso before the Chihuahuas/Isotopes
game, which surprised me, since it didn’t rain here in Las Cruces. The pups were wearing some kind of special
top. I never quite understood what it
was for or looked like from listening to the radio call. Strangely, they were wearing grey (visiting)
pants with it.
The Chihuahuas
went down two early, but Raffy Lopez,
back on the team, tied it. In the
fourth, an error contributed to the Isotopes retaking the lead. As some more rain started falling in El Paso
(not here), the ‘topes kept hitting and scoring. The wet grass seemed to give the fielders
some trouble. Walter Lockett would get knocked out after giving up 8 runs, but
only 3 earned. The Chihuahuas’ two errors hurt. 10-3 Isotopes was the final.
6-30-18
I was really busy
with quarter end processing the night before.
I woke up feeling okay, but I nearly fell asleep during the two games I
sat down to watch on Saturday. I was either
exhausted or it was the games themselves.
The Tigers and Blue Jays game on a Mexican station in
the morning was at least a close one. It
was 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth when Justin
Smoak hit the second pitch of the inning for a walkoff home run. 4-3
Blue Jays. The Tigers now have an
11-game losing streak going. I’ve seen both of these teams a few times this season and
honestly, I don’t recognize half their players. I may as well be watching a Triple-A game.
Well, there was a
more marquee-type match-up in the evening on FOX, Yankees versus Red Sox. Usually, I’d
complain about this ubiquitous pairing, but I haven’t seen it much this season and both teams are playing +.600
baseball. Sonny Gray started for the pinstripes and got two quick outs. Then he let on the next three batters and
gave up a grand slam to Rafael Devers. 4-0 Red Sox in a 20-minute half-inning. Typical.
There was a curious level of cheering in Yankee Stadium for the Red Sox.
Enemy balls flying into stands were even appreciated by the receiving
fans.
Chris Sale started for the Red Sox and went seven
innings. That’s all you need to know about Yankee hitting tonight. Gray only lasted into the third with the
score 6-0. Aaron Judge did have a highlight as he threw out Xander Bogarts at the plate to end the
inning. In the bottom, the Red Sox had
some good defense with Jackie Bradley
Jr. running back and stealing a double, near home run, off the wall. By this point, the other regional FOX games
were two innings ahead of this game, including the Rockies and the Dodgers,
which I’d hoped to see (and the Rockies
won). 11-0 Red Sox in a rout.
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