Baseball Journal May 19-20, 2018

5-19-18

Today was the first day I really got back into baseball since the softball tournament.  That's kind of funny, because I spent nearly the whole afternoon writing up Game 10, which came out like molar in a tooth extraction.  I don't know why it was so hard.  Maybe it was the rejection afterward.

Three games all started at 11:00.  The A's played the Blue Jays in Toronto with the roof closed at the Rogers Centre.  This was on a Mexican station, of course.  F-you Fox!  They were showing European soccer, followed by MLS.  No-hitter pitcher Sean Manaea started for the A’s.  The A’s won 5-4 off of an eighth inning grand slam by Chad Pinder off Tyler Clippard. 

The Stadium Network was showing a college baseball game from the Patriot League . . . or at the least the Internet TV guide said so.  The digital schedule concurred that the game was on.  It was just the video that disagreed, as an Ultimate Frisbee match was what actually played on my TV.  This like the fifth time they've jammed me like this.  I just don't understand it.  They play every other college sport that they schedule.

I also missed the royal wedding this morning by about five hours.  Sleeping seemed more important at the time.  I'd asked a co-worker yesterday if he was going to watch.  I suggested that this might be a “Red Wedding” and a regicidal coop.  He seemed to be upset by this suggestion.  My dad actually did get up to watch and was very excited by the proceedings.  This ties into baseball only in that during the Rangers 5-3 loss to the White Sox later in the evening, Eric Nadel did a royal wedding limerick.  Matt Hicks mentioned some reality show with a Prince Harry impersonator, who by coincidence, has the same name as Matt. 

More importantly than these other games, the Aggies were playing their final regular season game against UTRGV.  The Aggies had a slim chance of getting a share of first, but were probably playing for second, which they would earn if they won.  The Vaqueros had been eliminated, so this was just Senior Day for them. 

In the third, Aggie starter, Alex Pinedo, helped set the team record for strikeouts in a season.  (Though I wonder if this has more to do with batters’ always swinging for the fences than Aggie pitching being that great.)  Braden Williams was catching.  I’m surprised Mason Fishback wasn’t starting again. 

Right after setting the record though, the Vaqueros took a 2-0 lead after a misplay in the outfield by Tristen Carranza.  Pinedo gave up his fifth walk and loaded the bases, but got out of it with another strikeout.  Meanwhile, the Aggie offense ran into a nearly unhittable Trevelle Hill.  Braden got the first hit in the sixth.  Hill came out after seven innings, only allowing two baserunners after throwing 80 pitches. 

The Aggies threatened in the eighth, but the Vaqueros spent three pitchers to come out unscathed.  By the ninth, the Aggies were down 3-0, but managed to load the bases.  Nick Gonzales came up big with a bases-clearing triple and then scored himself when the ball got away from the catcher on the throw home.  The dugout went wild as the Aggies took a surprise 4-3 lead.  They came out onto the field to celebrate, which probably got the Vaqueros angry, while the ump told the Aggies to get back in their dugout.  Fishback came up next to pinch hit and was promptly drilled.  The ump tossed the pitcher immediately.

In the bottom of the ninth, Brock Whittlesey worked his second inning.  He seemed somehow vulnerable last inning.  This inning, he gave up a hit to the first batter.  The second batter homered.  Vaqueros won 4-3, just that quick.  I was shocked and apparently not the only one.  Adam Young called the home run and then there was only cheering crowd noise for the next 30 seconds before he closed out for commercial.  I suspect he didn’t take that loss well.

It got worse later.  Sacramento State won their game a couple hours later, which moved them into second past the Aggies, who will now not get a bye in the first round.  It was a quick game at two hours and 40 minutes at least.  I couldn’t take that irritating the foul ball sound effect by the UTRGV PA any longer anyway.  Well, now the Aggies will have to do it the hard way at the WAC Tournament next week.  

The Chihuahuas lost later in the evening, 4-0, to Fresno.  It was their first shutout of the season.  At least the 9,000+ fans there got fireworks afterward.  There was a Mexican League game on at night between the Tijuana Toros vs the Dos Laredos (?).  I basically missed it.  The biggest culprit was watching a small concert by a band called The Accidentals.  I couldn’t look away from Savannah, the engaging lead singer/guitar/violinist.  The Toros won 6-3.   

On the local sports report, I got the news about Aggie Softball’s second game against Long Beach State.  They lost 9-0 by run rule.  I didn’t get any details other than they had a bad first inning.  I’m happy I got to see them win the WAC Championship and got to watch them play all season, but sad that I know that they’re sad about their season ending.  From seeing her post-WAC tournament interview, I suspect Kelsey Horton is taking it hard.  She sounded sweet and smiled, but she sets very high expectations for herself.

Along with that story was a report and interview with Aggie Football hero, Tyler Rogers.  (Because El Paso sports stations can pretty much only talk about NMSU sports, since there’s nothing to talk about in regards to UTEP.)  He’s playing in the CFL and is getting some rookie hazing right now.  He's all smiles about being able to continue to play football.  Good luck, man.

5-20-18

Oh, sure.  After stiffing me four or five times, Stadium did actually broadcast a college baseball game.  I knew it was on the schedule, but didn’t take it seriously.  It was a Patriot League matchup between Army and Navy, their championship tournament.  I came in about halfway through the game.  Army came back for an 8-5 win, but had a very nervous ninth holding the lead. 

Army was up by 6 runs to start the inning, but committed at least four misplays (not all scored errors).  Their third pitcher of the inning put his first three pitches into the dirt, before getting the final out.  That was the tying run at the plate.  The teams were going to play a potential double header tomorrow to decide the championship in the morning.  I’m doubting that Stadium is going to broadcast it, unless I’m not watching, in which case they’ll do it to spite me.

The Rangers played the White Sox at the same time.  I think I’ve finally found the optimal place to put the radio in my apartment to get their station.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t much of a game on a cold, drizzling day in Chicago, as the Sox won 3-0.  Eric Nadel recited a limerick about the Windy City and about Hawk Harrelson, who’s retiring this year.  Eric also mentioned being at the last game at Comisky Park, which didn’t actually get played.  It was the MLB’s longest rain delay, going over 8 hours, as the owner desperately wanted to get the game in.  During the delay, Eric saw The Simpsons for the first time and hasn’t missed an episode since. 

I started listening to the Chihuahuas versus the Grizzlies.  In the first, a pair of Griz home runs quieted the El Paso crowd.  Tim Hagerty interviewed a precocious little girl for the Kid’s Club segment, but then I had to leave to find out how PBS’ Little Women would end.  (Hey, I have a sensitive literary side too.)  I rejoined the game in time to hear the final out and the crowd murmuring over the Chihuahuas’ 7-2 loss.  The dogs are on a serious slide, having lost 3 of 4 on this homestand.