Just got back from seeing the Bull's game with D. and S.. It was a playoff game, and exciting up until the very end. The last game we saw was seriously mismatched. Near the end of the game the Bulls actually batted around in one inning, which I had never seen before. This time the visiting team (the Richmond Braves) were really good. Their starting pitcher was especially strong. The Bulls lost by 2, and had the winning run at bat several times. I have to say I'd rather see a well-played, tense game, even if we lose, than a blowout where we win by 10 runs.
I love the games in between innings: the kid racing Wool E. Bull around the bases, the sumo wrestling, the t-shirt gun shaped like a giant hot dog, the guys racing to change a diaper on a doll. My only disappointment this time was that they didn't do "Ants in the Pants." This is a game where they put a kid in a giant pair of pants, and then an employee uses a slingshot to throw big plastic ants at the kid, who has to catch the ants in the pants. I think the prize is a t-shirt or something.
For a long time I've felt that the games were the best part of minor league baseball. Although I am developing more of an appreciation for the game itself. Tonight I made myself a bit hoarse by cheering so much. Our seats were so close -- fourth row, behind home plate -- that we could cheer encouragement to the batter and be reasonably sure he could hear us. S. liked to call out the batter's first name, which seemed nice. The other nice thing about our seats was the older man sitting just behind us, it looked like he was there with his adult son. He seemed to know a lot about baseball and I really enjoyed listening to his conversation.
It was terribly sticky hot when we first got there, but when the sun set it cooled down pretty well. Bats also came out after it got dark, and wheeled around above the field for the rest of the game. I thought they were birds at first until D. explained to me. Duh! The bats must have a nest somewhere in the stadium.
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