This could have been another action packed week of playoff action or it could have been extremely boring beginning the transition from baseball season to off season. It turned out to be the latter. Both Harrisburg and Reading were eliminated from the playoffs. One of them is a surprise, the other isn’t. Here in York it is also Fair Week. I haven’t been to the fair since I was in 9th or 10th grade. It just doesn’t interest me. Maybe if I lived closer and didn’t have to deal with the traffic. I blame my middle school teacher who made us walk there and back in 6th grade and wouldn’t let us ride any rides. It put a sour taste in my mouth for that.
Light week this week. I didn’t actually feel like going down to Baltimore to see them play the Dodgers. It looked like they were throwing the B-team at the Orioles and I did enjoy sitting at home, watching TV and drinking some beer. It was kind of fun. I’m sure it will get old after a bit but for now I’m enjoying it.
Game #149. Over to Lancaster on Friday to take in a game in the most heated series in sports, the War of the Roses. Stop at Mad Chef before the game. From my understanding before the game York needs one more win to clinch the Community Cup (turns out it was two). It will be nice to have that back in York this offseason. I like the Revs’ chances with 6 games left with Lancaster and Lancaster sitting firmly in last place. I could say that is exactly where they belong but there is no point in kicking them while they are down. Picked up a Barnstormer scarf, I’ll put that in my basement with my Hagerstown Suns scarf. Frontier League pickup Austin Nicely took the hill for the Revs against John Anderson for the Barnstormers. I was feeling good early as the Revs put up a 6 spot on Anderson in the first highlighted by another new acquisition, former Reading Fightin’ Phil Emmanuel Marrero’s 3-run dinger. On a normal night I might have been able to get the ball as I was sitting in the lawn area and it hit two benches over from me but a group of college students were there and one procured it. Nicely pitched in and out of trouble but managed to keep Lancaster off of the board until it caught up with him in the 4th when Lancaster plated 4, with the big blow coming from Caleb Gindl on a 3-run shot of his own. It might not have needed to happen, Lancaster plated a run before that but from my vantage point it looked like the throw from the right fielder beat the runner and he was out, but the ump called him safe and there was no objection from our manager or catcher. Josh Smoker relieved Nicely and showed us why he wasn’t good enough to pitch for the Pirates but managed to only give up 1 run. The Revs bullpen has been questionable in middle relief but tonight they locked it down, until one of our most dependable arms in Josh Judy blew up giving Lancaster the lead. But the Revs were not done and Melky Mesa tied the game in the 9th. But the heroics were short lived as K.C. Hobson doubled in the winning run quickly in the bottom half of the frame. Lancaster wins 9-8.
Game #150 Down to DC for a big game against the division leading Braves. Pregame stop at Crooked Crab in Odenton. I never heard of Crooked Crab until a few weeks ago when I stopped in at Chesapeake in Annapolis and they had some of their beers on tap. Picked up a beer stein at the Nats game. I’ve gotten the past few that the Nats have done so I’ll add this to my stein collection. Probably only one or two more Nats games left for me, maybe a third, I might take in one of their games against the Phillies late in the season. Austin Voth took the hill for the Nats against Mike Foltynewicz in a game that the Nats needed to win. The Braves have had their number this year, that’s for sure and they are still up in the Wild Card standings. The Nats struck first scoring on an Anthony Rendon double. Apparently the Nats did a bobblehead of him the night before that I was unaware of. I’ll wait for the price to come down on eBay, like maybe after he departs via free agency. Voth was good keeping Brave hitters off balance until the 6th when they started to make some good contact off of him. Freddy Freeman had a homerun taken away from him by Victor Robles in what will probably be a Kevy Award winning play. But that chased Voth and the Nationals bullpen did not get the job done. Wander Suero quickly surrendered the lead and Fernando Rodney imploded. The main highlight at that point was Braves manager Brian Snitker going absolutely ballistic and turning a new shade of red after the home plate ump ruled that Charlie Culberson offered at a bunt when he was hit by Rodney’s pitch. With the game almost out of reach Erick Fedde came in to mop up and gave up 5 more. Atlanta wins 10-1. We also had Major League Debut #3 for the year in Nationals’ Tres Barrera, who pinch hit late in the game.
Game #151 Made the easy drive over to Lancaster to watch the Revs take on our cross-river rivals for a Sunday matinee. These are the days that I like, it is still warm during the day but not hot. For me, the next few weeks is the best time of the year. When the season is over I’ll get some hiking in at Gettysburg on the battlefield. Pregame stop at Rumspringa in Bird-in-Hand. Dan Minor started for the Revs, haven’t seen him pitch since very early in the season. He was opposed by Nate Reed for Lancaster. Things once again started well for the Revs with Telvin Nash hitting a solo shot out to center and James Skelton knocking a 2-run double. Minor kept the Barnstormers off the board until the 3rd when Melvin Mercedes hit an RBI double. But then once again Minor blew the lead, giving up a 2-run shot to K.C. Hobson that completely left the ballpark. The Revs had a great scoring chance with the bases loaded and no outs in the 7th but Justin Trapp hit a liner to short that Michael Martinez made a pure reflex play to snare for the first out and probably a Kevy for best defensive play. The next batter popped to first and then Nash struck out. Lancaster untied the game in the bottom half when Mercedes hit a Bucky Effin Dent-esque 2-run homer to left. Guess we’ll have to win the Cup in York as Lancaster wins this 5-3.
On the docket for next week:
September 16 – Long Island @ York
September 17 – Long Island @ York
September 18 – maybe Toronto @ Baltimore
September 19 – no game
September 20 – Seattle @ Baltimore
September 21 – Seattle @ Baltimore
September 22 – Lancaster @ York
