BIL Tour: 8/27/10 Florida Marlins 7, Atlanta Braves 1

Turner Field, Atlanta, GA

The 4th game of our tour (and first Major League game) ended quite differently than anticipated. Surely, the NL East division leaders with Tommy Hanson can take the ill-begotten Florida Fish in a contest on their home turf, where they statistically dominate?

Not tonight. There were so many times when I felt like I was watching a Cubs game, especially the creepy big first baseman, I've seen him somewhere before.

FLA 7 10 1
ATL 1 6 2

Marlins starter Chris Volstad didn't really dazzle...3K, no BB, 1ER in 8 innings, 11 flyouts, 10 groundouts. It was Tommy Hanson's game to lose, giving up back-to-back homers to the first 2 batters in the first inning, then doing the same thing again to start the 6th. He needs to share the blame with his teammates, who pulled some nice 2010 Cubs-esque lack-of-run-support antics. The Braves' improvement on this practice was only leaving 6 on base for the entire game. Also, it was nice to see the Braves fans at home giving most of those HR balls back to the field...who needs 'em?

The Offical Scorer originally ruled Hanley Ramirez' single in the 3rd as a double, no error charged. Sometime during the 7th inning, the ruling was 'magically' revised to reflect the error charged to Hinske. I ruled it a single and 2 errors to Hinske, the play was THAT BAD. One error for each base earned by Ramirez.

A light and steady rain started in the top of the 9th and didn't last long enough to finish the inning. Mark snagged a flipped ball during BP, I didn't. I hunted high and low all over Turner Field looking for a pencil with the Braves logo. I collect one thing from each ballpark I visit and Turner Field doesn't believe in these, I guess.

When we arrived in Atlanta, we stopped here for a beer. There were no other taverns in the area.

Turner Field, from the green lot. We played catch out here.

Statue of Phil Niekro

Homer doesn't like my Royals George Brett shirt...

Inside Turner Field

Mark catches a ball! Yeah!!!

BIL in effect!!! All of us are Brothers-in-law: Mike, John, Stevo and Mark in our GREAT seats (thanks again, Mike!!)

This is Derrek Lee, 1st baseman for the...Atlanta Braves

Tommy Hanson delivers to Chad Tracy (he was a Cub very briefly)

Brian McCann at bat, Lee on deck...speaking of George Brett, on the day I decide to wear this shirt, guess who's calling balls and strikes? Yes, that is none other than Tim McClelland!

Altanta Braves fans LOVE Rick Ankiel, mostly for his eyebrows

It's not as bizarre as the Klemenz Sausage Race, and it's a shorter run, but this is the Home Depot Tool Race. Oh boy!!

Billy Wagner starts the 9th, so does the rain

Gameday Magazine and Roster



Official Scorecard (pencil not included, and not available either!)



Souvenir Program


BIL Tour Bonus: The EXCLUSIVE Braves Service Menu! You can spend gobs of money without leaving your seats!!

5/15/10 Pittsburgh Pirates 3, Chicago Cubs 4

Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL

Is this truly bliss, or are we just sliding down a pole with razor blades at the bottom (again)?

It's hard to believe I have such a sense of celebration over a WIN that avoids a sweep by the Pirates AND finishes a 3 game series with a loss, but that's what we Cubs fans have been used to this season so far.

PIT 3 6 1
CHC 4 8 1

The Buckos have won their games against us by scoring in the first inning. This is still true, as they did not score in the first (they waited until the 2nd, thanks) and subsequently did not win. The key seemed to be 'don't let McCutchen hit safely'...he did hit safely but was subsequently caught stealing (1-3-4)and that was really the end of his offensive threat.

Soriano...flied out once, hit safely twice, scored a run, stole a base (going on a wild pitch, snagging an extra base in the process), drove in a run, and was walked. Nice! Derrek Lee with 2 hits, an RBI...Fukudome, a hit and a run, Byrd (2 for 4)...Fontenot was walked and scored the tying run on a wild pitch by Evan Meek (whom we had feared when we was "throwing up in the bullpen")...Xavier nady delivers his first pinch hit RBI as a Cub, and suddenly our offensive power is easily matched with our ability to cross the plate. Defensively, the most honorable mention has to go to Fukudome's amazing catch in the top of the 7th, robbing Ross Ohlendorf's potential extra-bases drive with 2 men on base; this would have blown the game to a 5-1 advantage for the Pirates had Fukudome not reached the ball as efficiently as he had. As for Ohlendorf, see my post about Latos...moments like these don't -and can't- happen in AL games.

Yes, even if only for one afternoon...the nicest W of all is one that was fought for valiantly, and after such a dry spell.

I want to also comment that this year's Pirates really don't look or smell like last year's Pirates...they aren't really playing like the cheapo AAA team they have been for the past few years, so maybe they have the advantage in 2010 games with us 5-1 partly because we aren't performing as well as we should be, but also maybe because they are performing a little bit better than others have expected them to. Like they stole some of that 'mysterious spoiler mojo' from the Brewers (who could use some this year so far).

Lilly looked fine, but I still don't know what the hell happened in the 2nd inning. Sean Marshall = YES, and hey Carlos Marmol is effective as a closer in a Save situation. Theriot sat out the game due to a sore elbow from being hit by Carrasco yesterday.

WGN-TV broadcasters Len Kasper and Bob Brenly did their broadcast from the bleachers (with a visit from Bleacher Veteran Tom Ricketts as well) and no, this wasn't the first time they've done it but the weather was beautiful, no homers to catch out there today, and all is well.