El Paso Margaritas vs Salt Lake City Abejas 5-5-19

I’ll get to the weird title here in a minute.  I’d been looking forward to this for three weeks.  At work, a manager offered some Chihuahuas tickets on sale for charity.  I asked Ron and he was all for it.  I’d offered Ron sporting event tickets from work before and he’d either said “No,” or said “Yes,” but canceled at the last minute.  (You get fired from a place, you tend to not want to socialize with your former co-workers.)  Unlike those times, this time the tickets weren’t giveaways; I was actually on the hook for some money. 

I was relieved when Ron showed up Sunday morning, no problems.  The only other wildcard was the weather, but that was beautiful today.  It was nothing but warm and sunny.  Perhaps even better, I was pretty sure our seats were under the second deck.  They were and we were cool in the shade, unlike the last two times (9-3-18 and 9-5-16).  So without any problems, all that was left to do was enjoy the game.   

Sunday morning and evening is definitely the best time to travel between El Paso and Las Cruces.  The traffic was light both ways.  At least some of the road construction was finished from last time.  Of course, it’s still going on, even on the weekend.  Maybe someday we’ll see what the interstate looks like without orange barrels.  During the trip, Ron pointed out a new Porsche dealership.  I spent most of my time filling in the scorecards from yesterday’s debacle.  I’d just finished by the time we got to the ballpark.

From the nearby parking garage, we joined a good-sized queue a bit more than an hour before the game, maybe 15 minutes before the gates opened.  As usual, everyone in Chihuahuas gear had on something different, a triumph of merchandising.  The throwback Diablos gear that debuted last year was also all over.  A couple of guys in front of us had on the red hats.  A guy next to us had on Diablos socks. 

Ron had asked earlier if the Chihuahuas were going to be playing somebody with a dumber name today.  You know, like the Surfin’ Bears or the Baby Cakes or the Chicken Strips.  (One of those names is real.  I’ve copyrighted the other two, certain that some teams will want them at some point.)  I said, “No,” but then I remembered that the pups would be taking on an alternate identity today, like Fresno and their famous Tacos uniforms.  I’m pretty sure the Chihuahuas marketing staff took that as a challenge.  

So, meet the El Paso Margaritas!  I don’t know if these pictures really do justice to these uniforms.  They’re like the gaudiest pajamas ever.  You can’t stop seeing them after you’ve seen them in action.  The neon lime green was that bright.  I could tell this was already a splash with the fans.  There were several people wearing Margaritas jerseys and t-shirts already in the park.  In the teamshop, people were lined up to buy them.  Meanwhile, the Salt Lake team was going with Abejas on their uniforms, but nothing else was weird about them.

 

A pocket-emptying checkpoint and airline-style wanding has now been set up before the gates.  Ron remembered he had a pocket knife with him and went back to the car before we got to security.  I went ahead and waited for him inside.  It was fairly quick.  A group of little girl Folklorico dancers performed just inside the gates.  There was also a cow mascot working in the concourse handing out a bunch of cardboard cow ears to the kids.  I waved to the cow as we went by.     

Since we were early, I got to pick up a giveaway neon lime green Margaritas umbrella . . . hat.  Okay, I wasn’t really into the umbrella promotion, but hat aspect I wasn’t aware of until I got there.  These things seemed dangerous to everyone around the wearer.  At the very least, they block the view of the people sitting behind you.  We found that out the hard way during the game.  Thankfully, the shade eventually moved to cover the couple in front of us wearing them and they took them off. 

I don’t have a picture of me wearing it, because I gave mine away.  By strange coincidence, a former co-worker of me and Ron’s from another business we worked at together, Terri, was sitting next to us.  She expressed interest in the hat for her granddaughter with her, so I gave it to her.  If we’d been in the sun, I might have been wearing it, but I suspect that would have been the only time I would have done so.  That said, a couple of the guys in the bullpen were actually wearing them, so they were technically team gear. 

We hit the team store first.  It was crowded as ever.  Ron was looking for a hat and settled on a camo floppy hat.  It wasn’t big enough on his head to cover his ears, but he liked it to the tune of $30.  I couldn’t find a team set of baseball cards.  I finally asked someone and she told me that they don’t produce them until about halfway through the season.  I was ambivalent anyway, but surprised they didn’t have any older sets out.  I was sort of looking for those PCL All-Stars packs they usually carry.

Okay, now for the real news.  How were the concessions?  Ron had been instructed to pickup another dogbowl by a relative, so he got steak nachos.  It took him awhile to eat them, as there was quite a bit in there.  I got a hamburger and fries ($16 with large drink).  I doused both in ketchup and gobbled down them down.  They were good.  The fries were unique with some flavor.  The burger was a bit processed, but was juicy and also had flavor.  The bun was pretty unique too with kind of a glazed top and fresh.  If I hadn’t choked it down, trying to finish before the game, I would have enjoyed it more.  I had to run to the bathroom before the game started just to get the ketchup off my hands so I could fill out my scorecard.

 

I also picked up the large souvenir cup, so I could get a cheaper refill later.  I wanted to keep hydrated, even in the shade.  I’m not sure if you can bring the cup back for other games in the season.  I thought I read that somewhere, but I couldn’t find it on the website.  From reading the rules, I think they allow people to bring in one sealed water bottle, which was what Ron did for a drink.  There are also nice clean water fountains in a couple of places at the park.  In addition, I got a large bag of kettle corn ($8).  It’s lightly sweet and very tasty.  I had trouble keeping my hands out of it, while still tracking the game.

  

It was a good crowd, though probably less than the evening games.  Not every seat was in the shade like ours.  The green “seats” were full and there were plenty of fans in the party areas.  I saw one co-worker at the game in another section.  When I came in to work on Monday, I found out there were several in our section down the third base line, but I hadn’t seen them and they didn’t notice me either apparently.  There was a large crane in the background working on a downtown building.  The Plaza Hotel had scaffolding on it as well.  The Anthem was performed by a Mariachi band.  To be honest, it didn’t sound like they’d played it before.  Given some more practice and I think they’d do a better job.

The Chihuahuas are in first place in their division.  Ty France, who I’d been looking forward to seeing, had been called up by the Padres recently.  Jacob Scavuzzo was out with an injury.  Boog Powell wasn’t in the starting lineup either.  (Admittedly, I might mostly like these guys for their names.)  The team is coming off a 12-game winning streak.  They then lost two games, but had just won on Saturday.  But the question is, how will the Margaritas play?  

I missed the lineup announcements washing my hands, but that was no problem with the lineup posted on the giant video board for the whole game.  Actually, I had some issues, since the roster listed in the program was just about worthless with so many players optioned and called up after it was printed.  Dillon Overton started for the pups.  He got two quick outs in the first.  You know what, this whole game was played with a really good pace.  Let’s hear it for the pitch clock.  (In all honesty, the guys on both teams played like they didn’t like playing out in the heat.  This game played quick until about the eighth.  The game finished a few minutes over three hours.)  Credit to Jared Walsh.  He hit a double straight into an exaggerated shift against him.  Overton loaded the bases, but ended the inning with a strikeout.

 

The Margaritas (it took me long enough to learn how to type out the word, “Chihuahuas”) went down in order in the bottom of the first.  A foul ball hit in our section, but lower down.  Ron must have been terribly disappointed.  I had wanted to make sure I was done with my meal before the game started so I didn’t attract any foul balls.  There are too many highlight videos of fans at the ballpark getting their meals and drinks ruined.  The foul rebounded to the front row where a guy with a mitt and wearing the umbrella hat caught it.  He was a definite ballhawk.  A couple of innings later, I noticed a guy in the next section hand a foul to a kid.  The ballhawk must have seen that, too.  He walked over and gave his ball to another kid.  (I’m not sure I would have been that generous.)

I’d brought my portable radio with me.  Unfortunately, not the little one I take to Aggie games, this was an emergency radio that gets AM, which was where the game was broadcast.  I’ve dropped this thing and had the earbuds yanked out of my ears enough times to where I hate it.  For today’s game, I couldn’t hardly hear it with the crowd and the PA speakers nearby.  Also, I finally figured out that one of the earbuds had a short in it.  I’d heard it lightly at the last couple of Aggie games, but now it was unbearable.  So, I couldn’t really hear Tim Hagerty with the game call, and it wasn’t until the second that I could finally see homeplate, when the fans in front took off their umbrella hats.

The Bees (I’m not using their Spanish name) went down in order in the second.  The pups (I’m giving up on Margaritas too) got a single, but didn’t score.  A little girl in the dugout was on camera announcing the players.  On the third batter, they showed her, but the park PA actually announced the batter.  She looked confused and disappointed.  At the end of the inning, they showed her again.  The PA apologized for stepping on her lines.  “I’m sorry, Madison.  I owe you one.”  (“Madison” probably wasn’t actually her name.)  The PA almost said “Chihuahuas” once, but otherwise had no trouble with calling them the Margaritas. 

In order again for both sides in the third.  The field looks really good considering it’s been used for soccer.  You could just barely see the outline of the pitch.  We had a t-shirt toss fail in the bottom.  The guy on the back of the ATV, fired the t-shirt gun in the air and the bundle came down on the bullpen mound on field.  One of the pitchers threw it into the crowd.  Yeah, that guy was nowhere near as good as Emerson at Aggie games (or as gorgeous) tossing t-shirts. 

The Bees went down in order in the fourth.  Field reporter, Andy Imfeld, was serving drinks to some women in the bar.  It was $2 margaritas at the park today.  No, there wasn’t a riot later.  The cups were small.  One of my co-workers later was questioning if there was really alcohol in them.  I heard an interview with Andy once.  He was asked how he was able to maintain his positive energy for every game.  He said he does have his bad days when he gets to the park, but when reporting, he always remembers that it’s somebody’s first game and wants it to be fun for them.  What a great attitude.

Luis Urias walked to start the bottom of the fourth.  He was picked off, but that turned out to be a balk and he moved to second.  Was that the first balk I’ve ever recorded on a scorecard?  Shrugs shoulders.  I got to see some park improvements that I’d heard about.  The lounge on top of the Big Dog House looks tremendous, even though it doesn’t seem to have many seats facing the field.  The patio area along the first base line, where me and Ron roasted once, was now a party area with shade.  There’s also some extended netting for protection in the area.  Matt Thaiss, at first for the Bees, made a great play reaching into that party area for the final out.

I really don’t have much to report for girl-watching.  There wasn’t much to see, especially compared to your average Aggie Baseball game.  The one co-worker I saw was pretty (and she’s pregnant).  There was another girl that reminded me of one of my favorite Twitch streamers, but that was about it.  Maybe I wasn’t in the right section.  I have seen good-looking girls in the sections closer to the plate.

     

Between innings, Andy demonstrated how you could order items with an app to have food brought to you.  I think.  A fan walked by with a Harvard shirt that actually read “Awkward.”  Clever.  Urias made a great play on a liner to start the fifth.  However, Overton gave up a single and a double that scored the first run of the game.  He did finish out with two strikeouts.  1-0 Bees.

There had been a couple of Baby Race heats before the game.  Between frames, they had the finale.  The Chihuahuas’ bullpen catcher looked on at the spectacle.  In the bottom of the inning, the pups got two on, but failed to score.  The best play was on a Michael Gettys big foul to the first base side.  The ball deflected twice off the second deck and the dugout.  A guy in the first row turned around and caught it. 

The sixth featured the Dunk contest.  Given the heat, the contestants probably appreciated getting water splashed on them.  It was unlikely they were going to be able to answer the margarita trivia anyway.  Terri’s granddaughter brought back a dogbowl meal from the concessions.  This one was an ice cream sundae.  Ooh, it looked good.  I seem to recall seeing it on a menu before for $20.  (A single scoop is like $8.)  Down the row, I noticed her family had also bought the souvenir stand with a bag containing at least a ball and two bats.  (There was a bin of oversized squishy Chihuahuas balls there that I was tempted by.)

Oh, and the ballgame.  In the sixth, Overton was relieved by Eric Yardley after a double.  The runner would score on a single and then a fielder’s choice to make it 2-0 Bees.  There was a big bobble on that FC, but Peter Van Gansen did get the force.  Between frames, there was a fan race in the outfield with the contestants dressed as the ingredients for a margarita.  (They really went all the way with the theme today.)  The Chihuahuas only scratched out a single in the bottom.

Paco Rodriguez relieved Yardley with two outs in the seventh, after a double, passed ball, and a walk.  Paco got a strikeout looking to leave the runners stranded at the corners.  The pups went down in order again in the bottom.  That two-run lead was looking insurmountable.  Terri was getting upset next to me.

Between innings, there was a t-shirt catch contest with a fan on field using a net with the t-shirts being shot from the gun.  I don’t think he actually caught any.  A couple of attendants walked down the aisle with a couple of bats.  I guessed what was going on, and so did the ballhawk guy.  He went over to them and volunteered for the Dizzy Bat Race later.  The Bees went down in order in the eighth.  Jason Vossler, at first, made a good play reaching into the stands for the final out.

Kiss Cam!  The camera kept panning back to a nice-looking middle-aged couple.  The husband saw it and didn’t do anything.  The wife finally noticed on the fourth time and immediately kissed him on the cheek.  The best kiss was a senior couple in the second deck.  The husband really laid one on his wife.

The Bees brought in their third pitcher to start the eighth.  Van Gansen started off with a single.  Gettys hit a grounder to short.  There was some hesitation and the play at second was close, but the ump ruled Van Gansen out.  The crowd showed some life and got all over the ump.  After a walk to Urias, Josh Naylor singled to drive in Gettys.  The crowd roared.  Seth Mejias-Brean then hit a liner.  Naylor ducked under it and Urias scored.  Then Austin Allen came up and blasted a three-run homer to right field over the Santa Fe Bridge.  The crowd exploded.  5-2 Margaritas!  (Why not?  Let’s party!)

Before the ninth, the ballhawk guy won the Dizzy Bat contest.  It was good karma to give away that ball.  Luis Perdomo came in to finish out the game.  Except that didn’t happen.  Van Gansen had two errors on one play, misplaying a grounder and then throwing the ball away.  One run would then come in on a sacrifice for the second out, but a single drove in another run to make it 5-4.  Boog Powell came in to play left field.  I’m not sure why that happened. 

Perdomo awkwardly stepped off the rubber on the next batter and was called for a balk, which scored the tying run.  (I’m sure I’ve never recorded two balks on a scorecard.)  The umps did confer afterward, but the play stood.  It was 5-5 and all of the runs for the inning were unearned.  The crowd didn’t react well, but many of them had already left by this point.  Between innings, they played a montage of inspirational movie speeches.  I’d seen this last time at the park.  It’s great.  I didn’t write them all down, but it starts with Bluto’s pep talk from Animal House.      

Matt Ramsey came in for the Bees in the bottom.  He struck out the first two Chihuahuas batters.  Gettys then singled and Urias followed him with another.  Gettys advanced to third on the play.  With two strikes on Naylor, Ramsey put the next pitch into the ground past the catcher.  Gettys scrambled home as the crowd rose and cheered.  I could hear Tim shouting something over the radio, but I couldn’t hear it over the noise.  I wouldn’t find out until listening to the next day’s game.  The Bees catcher had appealed, claiming Naylor had swung and was out.  Thankfully, it all stood as called.  Margaritas win 6-5!  I totally concurred with Tim with Austin Allen and his three-run homer being the play of the game.

Right after, I told Ron I was about to permanently un-invite him to any more Chihuahuas games if they’d lost today.  He has not been a good luck charm for the team.  Outside, there was that sax player out playing again.  I tossed another dollar into his case, like I did last time.  “Ice cream is for winners!”  This time for sure.  Oddly, both of us were too full for a meal, so we just looked for dessert.  After going by a couple of options, we ended up at Sonic.  Ron got something in a cup that was more than he wanted.  I got a cheap ice cream sandwich that turned out to be pretty filling.  Okay, along with the Aggie victory on Sunday, this was a great day for baseball.