8-4-25
Tonight’s MLB.TV Free Game was the Orioles at the Phillies. It’s the bottom of the AL East versus the top of the NL East. The fans in Philly got what they came for early: Bryce Harper homered in the first. Hey! Where’s Kyle Bradish? Where’s our Aggie star pitcher turned Oriole star pitcher? [Answer: He’s rehabbing in the minor leagues and having some problems.]
In the second, the O’s struck back. Tyler O’Neill hit a massive two-run homer. It took a big throw from a fan in the stands to send the ball back to the field. 2-1 O’s. Harrison Bader was traded to the Phils at the Deadline. He came up in the bottom still looking for his first hit with them. The lavender accents on his protective gear were a bold choice.
Though trailing in the third, the Phillies’ announcers were throwing dirt on the Orioles’ season. They were saying that this was a good time for them to try out their top minor leaguers to see what they have to either keep or trade. I can’t argue with that. They’ve been criticized for holding on to their prospects too long. The announcers also obsessed over an adorable little girl in a dress in the stands with a birthday button. I guess you can get a button at the gate there if it’s your birthday. Jordan Westburg homered to add to the O’s lead, 3-1.
Well, enough for letting them hope. In the bottom of the third, Kyle Schwarber cranked a 427’ third deck two-run homer that woke the crowd up. We were tied at 3. The Phanatic was dancing in the aisle. The broadcasters had been talking about Schwarber’s home runs this season. He’s close to Cal Raleigh’s total in Seattle.
Whoa! Here we go! They had a segment with the gorgeous blonde field reporter, Taryn, who was talking to a local sub owner that works across from the park and sells at the stadium. They were showing off an even more incredible-looking meatball sub. The broadcasters showed off their awesome sandwiches in the booth. This was all right before my oatmeal and yogurt dinner. The Philly fans booed, of course. “We don’t like pretty girls and good food! Get back to the game! Boooo!”
There was a long review in the bottom of the sixth. The Philly broadcasters thought that JT Realmuto was out for sure at first and that Gunnar Henderson had made a great play to get him. The runner was ruled safe. Why do we bother with these reviews? O’s starter, Cade Povich, was relieved after the play. Bader came up with two on and blasted one out for his first Philly hit. That’s how to get on Philly Fan’s good side (momentarily, at least) 6-3 Phillies.
Catcher Adely Rutschman was earning his spot having to block a three wild pitches in the dirt from the new reliever. It wasn’t over yet. The Phillies drove in another run and then there was a walk to load the bases. The O’s had to bring in another pitcher. Schwarber was back up and hammered a grand slam! 11-3 Phillies. That was 8 runs all with 2 outs. By the bottom of the seventh, the Phillies started putting in their bench. Even then, they had back-to-back solo shots in the eighth. The broadcasters were discussing disco for some reason. The older guy didn’t understand it. Phillies win, 13-3.
I was really interested in the Yankees at the Rangers. Lacking any other coverage, I checked out the game on Gameday. (Hey! What happened to Jake Burger?) [Answer: He’s injured.] This was probably the game of the night. The Yankees took an early 3-0 lead. The Rangers came back in the second with 4 runs.
The Yanks retook the lead on a Giancarlo Stanton two-run homer in the fourth. Down, 5-4, pinch hitter Joc Pederson came up in the bottom of the ninth and led off with a solo homer to tie it. Danny Coulombe worked a scoreless top of the tenth. In the bottom, with Corey Seager on and two outs, Wyatt Langford was intentionally walked to get to Josh Jung. Josh walked it off with a three-run homer for an 8-5 Ranger win. This was the same guy that Ranger fans were booing off the team in June. I guess he took it as constructive criticism.
8-5-25
The Chihuahuas were starting a series against the OKC Comets tonight. The Voice of the UTEP Miners, Jon Teicher, came on the air briefly chuckling. He somehow got caught on Tim Hagerty’s mic, the Voice of the Chihuahuas. Teich was the official scorer for the game. He’s a man of many skills.
Chihuahuas’ starter, Matt Waldron, was having issues in the first with his knuckleball in the 100+ degree heat. (It might not work as well in hot weather.) Two runs came in, but the inning ended on a double play. The pups bite back in the bottom. They scored, loaded the bases, and got another run on a single. A runner was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. 2-2.
Tim reported that players were asking him about how the playoffs work. They’re eager to get in. That’s encouraging. Waldron was out after four more runs scored in the second, 6-2 Comets. After this point, I was probably busy with work and wasn’t able to follow the game. When I was able to start paying attention again, it was 7-6 Comets in the sixth. The Chihuahuas loaded the bases, but the Comets turned a DP to get out of it. The Chihuahuas’ manager and a player argued the close call to no avail.
In the bottom of the ninth, a double and then a walk brought up Mason McCoy for a bunt attempt. It was mishandled in the field and thrown away. The tying run scored. The bases were intentionally loaded with no outs and infield came in. A sac fly won it for the pups, 8-7. It wasn’t my imagination; the game was dragging with 17 combined walks. With a loss by Tacoma, the Chihuahuas were now a game-and-a-half out of first. Will Wagner, who is a new Chihuahua via trade, made his home debut with 3 hits and a two-run triple.
The MLB.TV Free Game was a blowout by the Mariners against the White Sox. The M’s were up, 8-1 in the eighth. It was raining at T-Mobile Stadium in Seattle. They had the roof open during a light shower. The cameras caught a little boy with his shirt off jumping up and down in the rain. The M’s won, 8-3, as the Sox got a couple of solo home runs in the ninth. I didn’t see or hear any of the game, but I noted that the Rangers beat the Yankees, 2-0. Rowdy Tellez singled in two runs in the eighth. Nathan Eovaldi pitched 8 innings and gave up only 1 hit. The Yankees have lost five in a row.
8-6-25
I didn’t quite get what I wanted today with baseball, but I got something better instead. There were two day games on the schedule, annoyingly at about the same time. I was looking forward to hearing the Rangers and the Yankees series finale to see if the Rangers would sweep. The local affiliate chose not to broadcast the game, though. Maybe it’s just as well, as the Yankees won, 3-2, as I found out later.
At least I could just concentrate on one game: the OKC Comets versus the Chihuahuas. They started off with a cool electric guitar Anthem. What wasn’t cool was the temperature. It was 98-degrees and would only go up as the game progressed. It didn’t seem to be a school day game. (I’m not sure school is even in session in El Paso yet.) The reported attendance was over 5,000, which was pretty good for a scorching weekday day game.
The Comets began the scoring in the second with a pair of runs for the Comets. In the fifth, Jose Ramos hit a 460’ homer that hit Scottish Rite building next door to make it, 3-0 Comets. In the top of the seventh, a three-run double cleared a bases loaded situation to make it, 6-0 Comets. By this point, I’m pretty unhappy that I’m not listening the Rangers’ game.
In the bottom of the seventh, Rodolpho Duran hit a 431’ two-run homer for the pups. I didn’t hear much from the crowd on that one. In the bottom of the eighth, the pups loaded the bases with two outs. The pitcher and the batter were both changed out. The new Comet hurler, Edgardo Luis Henriquez, was touching 104mph, but not accurately. Two wild pitches brought in all three baserunners. The second one was on a ball four and two runners came in on it. The next batter singled a runner to third and Will Wagner drove in the tying run. You could hear the crowd in this inning. It was 6-6 going into the ninth.
Ron Marinaccio locked down the top of the ninth. The Chihuahuas loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth with a single and two walks and one out. Tim Locastro walked it off with a single. Chihuahuas win, 7-6! What a game!
No Free Game tonight, but a couple of interesting games to note. Cleveland was a 4-1 winner over the Mets, but lost out on no-hitter in the ninth on a home run by Juan Soto. This game was mentioned during the Chihuahuas’ game, as Austin Hedges was the Indians’ catcher today and was a former pups’ catcher. Meanwhile in Colorado, the Blue Jays beat the Rockies, 20-1. I hope it was at least a nice evening in Denver for the game.
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