El Paso Chihuahuas vs Tacoma Rainiers 9-3-18

This trip to El Paso for a ballgame was pretty unexpected.  Ron had written me last week and said he was available for the three-day Labor Day weekend and asked who was playing.  I had to reluctantly tell him that there were no Aggie events scheduled.  I sheepishly added that the Chihuahuas were home for those three days, not really expecting he’d interested.  Instead, he was all on-board.  We picked the Monday day game as the best option.  We did this two years ago (9-5-16), but didn’t quite learn our lesson from that game.  Namely, that it would be hot and that walk-up seats are hard to come by at Southwest University Park.

At least thanks to the holiday, the road trip there and back from Las Cruces was an easy one.  Regular traffic, along with all the I-10 construction, is murder otherwise.  Also thanks to the day game and holiday, there were seats available, otherwise probably not.  (If you’re going at night, and definitely on the weekend, reserve them beforehand.)  I felt like I was dealing with a Bedouin trader at the ticket office trying to get two seats together, but we eventually settled on the infamous upper deck Section 216.  We’ll discuss this later. 

We only had a short wait at the gates before the song Let’s Get It Started played at noon and they opened the park.  Inside, we first hit the team shop.  It looked like they’d taken out some merchandise and added some space to move around.  The wall of hats was halved.  That good-looking blue and gold Padres hat wasn’t there, so I wasn’t able to impulse buy one.  I picked up a team set of baseball cards for this year.  Yes, another Chico card.  It was also filled with lots of the players I like from the beginning of the season and some in-season additions, including Francisco Mejia.  But, no Ty France card.  Someday, I need to figure out how much those cool-looking souvenir team baseballs are. 

One of the reasons we picked this Monday game was the advertised special of $2 hot dogs.  Honestly, the bun was a bit stale, but the dog was extremely plump and well-seasoned.  It nearly qualified as a full sausage in the arena of cased meats.  I got mine with an order of fries (I couldn’t find the garlic fries anywhere) and between those two items, I couldn’t eat anything else while at the park.  I was stuffed and burping that hot dog for the next three hours.  I also got the large souvenir cup filled with Mountain Dew, which I would definitely need. 

Ron was on a mission and his well-being was at stake.  He’d been ordered to find a famous Chihuahuas’ nachos dog bowl in red.  His nephew wanted one for a cereal bowl.  I’d had my own unsatisfying experience with this novelty last year (4-19-17).  He thankfully found one and wouldn’t have to dread going back home.  We ate our meals standing at the countertops on the concourse before the game, which is definitely the way to enjoy your meal there, instead of your seat.  I still can’t believe I watched Ron polish off that large bowl of steak strip nachos and that heavy duty hot dog and some of my fries, that I couldn’t finish, inside of 20 minutes.

I saw an article in Baseball America that showed the Chihuahuas were in the top 10 of merchandise marketing for all of minor league baseball.  (The Albuquerque Isotopes are number one.)  So many people there at the park had Chihuahuas t-shirts and jerseys.  Ron and I both had ones on.  I saw several very sharp-looking pinstripe jerseys that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the team wear.  A bunch of people had on the yellow Diablos shirts that were given away earlier in the season, which made me want one even more now that I’d seen them.  Boy, those must have been hard to get on gameday.  Fans must have been fighting over them.  Even more envy-inducing were the flamboyant staff t-shirts.  I think they were called the “Bark Brigade.”  The exploding red and black shard design made you want to work for the team.    

The Dodgers seemed to be the most represented MLB team, though there were others.  Pretty much everyone was wearing something baseball-related.  However, there were a group of pretzel vendors wearing some El Paso Rhinos hockey sweaters.  Their pretzels looked awesome.  Before I ate, I was planning on going back there to get one and also compliment them on their cool shirts.  Unfortunately, I had no room to eat anything else, even dessert.  Speaking of that, I think I found the most expensive ballpark food there: the $15 sundae at the ice cream stall.  Brutal.  And the rest of their ice cream wasn’t much cheaper.  

     

There was a good crowd there, though there were plenty of empty seats in the shade that were apparently not available.  There were kids, teens, seniors, and everything in-between to make up a good mix.  There was a happy buzz in the air for the game.  I hate to say it, but the usually pristine field looked a bit shabby and patchy.  It’s the end of the season and grass is showing plenty of wear. 

“We’re going to die,” I stated when we got to our seats.  If you’re ballhawking at Southwest University Park, there’s one section you’re guaranteed to get an encounter with at least one foul ball.  That’s Section 216.  Unfortunately, said foul balls will be screaming line drives every time.  Anybody who’s been to the park more than once knows this (and to keep looking up on any balls that hit the roof, because they’ll roll back down into the crowd).  Bringing a mitt (if not catcher’s gear) is recommended.  My mitt was sitting on my kitchen table at home because I was sure I wouldn’t need it, and I couldn’t keep a scorecard with it on anyway. 

I should mention the weather.  There was some threat of rain today, so I did pack a jacket with a hood.  When we left town, it was overcast, but it was fairly nice and cool as a tradeoff.  Just when the game started, all of the clouds disappeared.  Suddenly, it was scorching, like ants getting fried under a magnifying glass scorching.  My sunglasses were also sitting at home by my mitt, as I was sure I wouldn’t need them either.  Thankfully, I did bring the sunblock, which I immediately doused myself in, before I exploded like a vampire in daylight. 

I also brought a solar-powered radio to listen to the game call.  Unfortunately, we were pretty close to a PA speaker.  I didn’t use my earplugs so Ron could hear too.  He was kicking himself that he’d left his little clip radio on his kitchen table.  I reminded him that it wouldn’t have worked anyway, since his only picked up FM, not AM, where the game was.  So, we got the game call, but lost it occasionally with stadium noise.  I angled it in a cupholder to catch some sun.  After having it on for the three hours, it still had a full charge afterward.   

  

Let’s actually talk about the game here against the Tacoma Rainiers.  (The day is coming where I will do a full write-up without mentioning the actual game.  You were warned.)  Colin Rea started for the pups.  The second batter of the game hit a foul that I immediately lost track of in the sky.  From a safety standpoint, this was ominous.  Rea gave up two hits without any damage in the top of the first.

Forrestt Allday (and all night and don’t tell me he’s never used that line on the ladies) led-off.  I was tickled that his walk-up music had his name in it, just like Bruno Teramoto on the Aggies.  The musical choices went all over the place, from Rebel Just for Kicks, to rap, to Latin, and to Country. 

Allday got a hit, but was erased on a double play.  Credit to the Rainiers on turning that, as Carlos Asuaje’s bat shattered in half and flew into the infield.  Their pitcher Casey Lawrence ducked and covered his head.  I’d told Ron to watch a couple of Chihuahuas’ players before the game.  Francisco Mejia and Ty France both came up and singled on cue.  Shane Peterson drove them in with a double.  France slid in under a play at the plate.  2-0 Chihuahuas.      

There were a couple of fan contests between innings where the loser got a bucket of water dumped on them.  In this case, the loser was definitely the winner.  Myself and many of the people in the stands would have loved that relief from the heat.  There was a constant motion in the stands as people were fanning themselves.  I noticed the park took a suggestion I’d made.  They’d sold the seats in the outfield party section to individual fans, which seems like a no-brainer whenever the area isn’t rented out.

Brett Nicholas started off the second with a double and was moved to third on a flyball.  After a strikeout, Allday came up and made an “excuse me” check swing.  Lawrence nearly injured himself trying to get and throw the ball that dribbled out in front of him.  Allday beat it out and Nicholas scored to make it 3-0 Chihuahuas.

The PA played YMCA to start the third.  I noticed a senior lady attendant below trying to lead her section in dancing.  She was a bundle of energy and enthusiasm throughout the game.  In her section was a lovely young woman with truly majestic hair.  She looked like Domino from Deadpool 2.  (The actress, who I don’t know, did a great job in the part, but she didn’t look or act anything like Domino from the comic books.  I can’t believe there wasn’t a joke about that in the movie.)

Rea started the third with a strikeout, but then gave up a walk and a single.  Cameron Rupp then came up and belted one over the centerfield batter’s eye and out of the park.  We were suddenly tied at 3.  The Chihuahuas answered.  Mejia led off with a double in the bottom and Peterson drove him in to make it 4-3 dogs.

In the fourth, an attendant came by and handed out rally towels to everyone in the section.  He told us we’d be on camera between innings.  The towels were also to mop up blood from the inevitable foul ball injury we’d have in the section at some point.  (I’m just kidding.)  Everyone and myself put the towel on top of our heads for shade.

Javy Guerra at short made a great jumping play to start the fourth.  Unfortunately, Garrett Kennedy next doubled in-between Dusty Coleman and Allday.  There was some confusion between them about getting the ball.  Allday then dropped the ball for an error that moved Kennedy to third.  (I got hit a towel that got away from a fan during the play, so I think that’s what happened.)  Sebastian Ochoa drove him in with a sacrifice to tie the score again at 4.  Nicholas threw out a runner at second to end the frame.  And then we were all on camera waving our towels.          

  

The bottom of the fourth began with a new pitcher for the Rainiers.  I didn’t catch his full name and he wasn’t on the program.  (Neither were their next two relievers.)  He shutdown the Chihuahuas with a couple of strikeouts.  In the fifth, an ATV with a t-shirt cannon drove around.  Ron had offered to get a refill on my drink last inning.  (This is why you get the souvenir cup.  Refills are $2.  I guess you could use that cup all year.)  When I got up at the time to let him by, I realized my pants were soaking wet with sweat.  He returned this inning with the drink and I was very grateful. 

The fifth was Rea’s last inning.  He gave up an opening hit and then the runner stole second.  Next was a hard line out to right.  From our seats, we could see the Chihuahuas’ bullpen below and that a reliever started getting warmed up.  Rea noticed too.  He struck out the next batter looking and got an infield popup to end it.  The pups went down in order in the bottom.  Andrew Aplin made a great leaping catch at the wall for the third out.

The grounds crew came out to drag the infield in the seventh.  They did a dance number to Earth Wind and Fire’s September.  Next, we had the play of the game.  The sun went behind a cloud for a few minutes.  This was great, because I was getting a bit woozy by this point.  Carter Capps came in and I finally got a good look at his peculiar pitching motion.  Thankfully, there was no controversy about it this time.  Unfortunately, it turned into a rough inning.  Guerra made an error on the first batter, who scored on a hit by Rupp.  5-4 Rainiers. 

Trevor Frank came in for the Rainiers in the sixth.  He set the pups down in order then.  In the seventh, he gave up a walk around three strikeouts.  There was a foul ball by the third base line.  The Rainier fielder missed it and it bounced into the crowd.  A fan fell backward on the steps trying to get it.  I think he was okay afterward.  Peterson, who’d gone 2 for 3 with 3 RBI’s for the pups, was also taken out in the seventh for some reason.   

In the eighth, there was a kids’ contest where two little bitty kids tried to put on adult-sized baseball pants and put on a helmet and run around.  The little girl seemed confused by the whole affair.  The little boy tried to run in the pants and faceplanted.  Dad had to carry him off crying.  Ahh.  A Rainier hit a foul grounder.  Three fans with gloves missed the ball.  Boo!  Just to make them look worse, Nicholas made a backhanded catch of a foul right after. 

Simba cam!  To the tune of music from The Lion King, parents held up their kids for the camera.  To start the ninth, there was a dizzy bat race with three contestants.  Andy Imfeld the MC pronounced two of them cheaters and gave the prize to the guy who fell down twice trying to run.  Here we go!  It took the whole game, but here was the line drive into our section.  Thankfully, it went over our heads a few rows up.  I was glad that I at least saw it coming.  Kazuhisa Makita pitched a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts.

There was a dramatic movie clip on the video board of guys pounding their chests before the bottom of the inning.  I wish I knew what movie it was from to attribute it.  It was a crowd participation moment to get the team fired up.  On the other side of the stadium, there was a guy in a sombrero who was leading his section in clapping.  He must be a season ticket holder.  You could actually hear him shouting during radio broadcasts all season. 

I hand it to the crowd.  In spite of the heat, they stayed to the end.  Allen Craig began the inning with a walk.  Nicholas hit a dying line drive to left, but Ochoa made a diving catch for the first out.  The next two batters struck out to end the game.  5-4 Rainiers was the final.  The game went about two hours, 45-minutes.  I didn’t get the attendance numbers, but the game was well-attended.  A local news station had a crew there and did a story on the team, which I saw later.  The gist was that the team was popular with El Pasoans and had been a benefit to the downtown area.  I’d say that was about correct.

I think we can hand this game to the Rainiers’ bullpen, because I don’t think the Chihuahuas suddenly forgot how to hit later in the game.  Trevor Frank in particular went three innings and only gave up a walk.  For offense, Cameron Rupp went 3 for 4 with 4 RBI’s, including a three-run homer.  The Chihuahuas did not help themselves as they had two errors and both came around to score.  As I mentioned, Shane Peterson had a good game for the dogs.  I don’t know why he was taken out.  I’m blaming Ron for the loss, since that’s what’s happened every time I’ve come in with just him.

Kyle Lloyd was warming up in the bullpen for a possible tenth.  After the game was over, he tossed his ball to the crowd.  A bullpen coach or another player who was wearing a jacket handed out some balls to kids.   I went over my scorecard afterward and I only mis-added two things, so I’m calling it a success, especially considering I was experiencing a small amount of heat delirium while filling it out.  I did, foolishly, forget to look at the official line score on the video board.

We stuck around after the game for several minutes as the crowd filed out.  By the gates, a vendor was offering free leftover lemonade, since the ice had melted.  It was delicious.  A sax player was serenading the crowd outside.  I flipped a buck into his case just for the ambiance. 

We stopped at Sam’s Club on the way back so Ron could pick up some things and then we ate at Jack-in-Box back in Las Cruces.  I just had a couple of tacos, since I was still sort of full from the hot dog.  I suggested getting ice cream at Schlotzsky’s.  Oh wait, they got rid of their ice cream machine, thus ruining my life.  Besides, ice cream is for winners!  Actually, even with the loss and the extreme loss of water weight, we both had a great time at the game.  The Chihuahuas are doing a good job of taking care of their fans and putting a good product on field.