Wednesday, May 12, 2004

First things first

Sports allows and enables fans to experience moment-to-moment excitement that other pursuits and hobbies do not. Baseball allows that on an almost daily basis.

Case in point: yesterday's Yankees-Angels game at the Stadium. Two of the best bullpens in baseball, the best players not named Bonds (Arod and Vlady) and two very good managers. Result? After long rain delays, we get action and lots of it: the Yanks come back against the Angels pen, the Angels take a lead into the eighth and turn it over to Frankie (K-Rod) Rodriguez. Result? K-Rod blows the save and the Yanks score two to take a 6-5 lead. Top ninth = Rivera gives up his first lead and first dinger of the year (to Bengie Molina, of all folks), Angels lead 7-6. Bottom ninth = Sierra whacks a game-tying single against Percival. Bottom 10 = Sheffield smacks a two-out double to score Arod and Yanks win 8-7.

Key notes: three blown saves by the two 'pens; first by Rivera; first earned run against K-Rod; first Angels loss when leading after 6; five run-scoring hits with runners in scoring position by the Yanks; Sierra started the rally off K-Rod and tied the game off Percival; Vlady ends up a triple short of the cycle. Serious stuff for early in the season.

No comments: