Monday’s rainout of the Gnats game meant Tuesday would be a “traditional” doubleheader: one ticket gets you two back-to-back games. Woo-hoo! We were all set to show up for the 6:45 singleton, but we popped in a little after 4 instead to pick up most of Game 1, to be followed by Game 2. Cleveland was the opposition — a good team. The weather was spectacular and we had good seats. Play ball!!
When we arrived it was 2-1 Guardians, but as we were getting into our seats James Wood popped one with a man on for the Gnats, so we began our night up 3-2. That’s my favorite type of game — nursing a small lead, so every pitch matters. Jake Irvin was pitching well for us, and we squeezed out a run in the 5th and two terrific more runs in the sixth, with very timely hitting, so things looked pretty safe heading into the seventh inning up 6-2. But the bullpen — Jose A. Ferrer in particular, — crashed to hell, and it was hit after hit after hit, and the lead we tried to cling to by our fingertips turned into a dreadful 8-6 deficit by the time the bloodshed ceased. Oh, no — unimaginable disaster. Cleveland put a six spot up in the top of the seventh and things were looking bad.
Just as I was opining to Linda how the leadoff man in the inning’s bottom would either give us hope or sink us into deeper despair, Alex Call walked. Okay, good. Then, after an out, Nathaniel Lowe singled to center. Tying runs on base — I like this! Then Keibert Ruiz stroked another hit to right center driving in Call and sending Lowe to third! It’s not over! The tying run’s on third with only one out! But Garcia struck out — the only thing he could’ve done worse would have been a double play. Now it would take a hit to tie the game. Dylan Crews was up — a very handsome young man who was a high draft pick and excelled at LSU but was struggling in the majors. It was a good moment for him and he didn’t squander it. He drilled a double to deep left field, tying the game — incredible! — and putting two more runners in scoring position. Cleveland changed pitchers, but there was no stopping the Gnats now — Tena’s shot gave us the lead back, 10-8. We just had to hold it for two more innings. Yikes.
The 8th went well and so the game was put into the hands of our closer Kyle Finnegan — I love the guy (he’s from Detroit), but he’s a cardiologist’s nightmare, and I stupidly left my heart pills in the car. In about two seconds, the Guardians put runners on first and third with only one out. The next batter lofted a deep fly that was caught — fantastic — but the runner scored from third. It was 10-9 now. We just needed one more out, and a line drive to short took care of it. What a sweet win! “Never in doubt,” I told Linda.
We had 40 minutes until Game 2 was to start, and we celebrated with dinner at the ballpark. It was $5 hot dog and beer night — so I ordered two dogs for us and a cold one for me. So delicious!
The Gnats held their own through five scoreless innings in Game 2, but the wheels fell off the bus after that and we left in the seventh inning of their 9-1 loss. That’s okay — we had no complaints.
Here’s Dylan Crews. I told you he was handsome. Sorry, girls, looks like he’s taken.
I loved today’s puzzle. It was based entirely on a bit of trivia involving Pittsburgh — just the sort of nonsense we live for. Did you know that from 1891 to 1911, the “h” was dropped and the city was Pittsburg? I won’t bore you with the details — I’ll bore you with other stuff — but the issue arose in part due to a typo. Anyway, the puzzle’s theme answers were phrases that had two meanings that differed depending on that H at the end. E.g., at 30A the answer PUT UP WIT(H), was clued by “Endure” (with the H) and “Display some humorous posters” (without the H). Who comes up with this stuff? (Well, in this case it was Tom McCoy.)
We took in a crazy movie in Baltimore’s beautiful, historic Charles Street Theater this afternoon. It was called Bad Shabbos. It takes place at a Friday night (the Jewish Sabbath) dinner during which the parents of an engaged couple are meeting for the first time — he’s Jewish, she’s converting. At first I thought, Oh no! — it’s too broadly drawn, it’s not working. But the insanity drew me in and I starting laughing out loud. The sister was the woman from the old AT&T ads, below, and the brother was way too broadly drawn — but I loved him. The mom was Kyra Sedgwick and the dad David Paymer. Did you know Kyra’s mom was Jewish and she identifies a Jewish? (She is a also a descendant of William Ellery, a signatory of the Declaration of Independence.)
Here’s Milana Vayntrub. (That’s her name — I’m not kidding.) Very pretty, right?
I have more to share about our quick getaway (one overnight) to Balt/DC, but I’m too tired from the drive. Thanks for popping in — I’ll continue tomorrow.
The Wellington Files 