Days Three and Four … More versus Cubs Cardinals and a Legendary Half Inning.
Day Three (June 9) saw us still in Chicago – looking forward to an event Cubs/Cards tilt. During the day, our adventurers headed out to places like the Second City Comedy Club Brunch, the Steppenwolf Theater or back for a second day at Chicago’s Blue Fest. Note: To check out Days One and Two, click here. Days Five and Six, click here. Day Seven, click here. Day Eight, click here. Days Nine and Ten, click here.
In mid-afternoon, a group of us near the juke box at The Lodge to toast a much-loved and much-missed Ballpark Tours family member (Lin) that we lost this past year. The Lodge is a BPT Gold Coast tradition – and the juke box is a focal point. Side note: Some of the “crew” was still there as the Cubs and Cardinals took the field.
Most BPT trekkers made it (via the EL) to Wrigleyville in plenty of time to enjoy the neighborhood. As usual, the beverages were nice and cold, the fans nice and warm, the music nice and loud and the emporiums all packed.
The Cubby Bear was packed.
Our seats were again down the left field line, this time in the second deck ($65, by the way). The site lines were good, we could see all the scoreboards and all the players. The weather was bit cool, with a noticeable fog over the city. Much to the pleasure of the Cubs’ fans, the home squad completed a sweep, topping the Redbirds 5-1, behind eight strong innings from Kyle Hendricks who picked up his seventh win) and some key hits from another Kyle (Schwarber), who went two-for-three, with a walk, run scored and two RBI. Former Rockie Carlos Gonzalez chipped in with a pair of hits, including an eighth-inning home run.
From a Baseball Roundtable perspective, I was pleased to see the first 4-6-3 double play (Cardinals’ Wong-to DeJong-to Goldschmidt), as well as three successful sacrifice bunts.
BBRT Observation
It’s generally accepted that the National League is the “running” league and the NL relies more on bunts, the hit-and-run and stolen bases to create runs. However, as I write this post, seven of the top eight teams in stolen bases for the season are American League squads. (The only NL team to crack the top eight is the Brewers at number five.)
For the second Cubs’ game, I went traditional – a Chicago Dog. An all-beef hot dog on a poppy seed bun – and you add your own pickle spears, tomato wedges, raw onions, hot and sweet peppers, relish, mustard and ketchup. All for just $7.75. A ballpark bargain.
Once the final out was made, it was another rendition of “Go, Cubs, Go,” an EL ride back to the hotel and either off to bed or off to a few more celebratory libations.
DAY FOUR – A BUS RIDE, A LONG BOTTOM STRETCH AND A BALL GAME
Appropriate shirt for this group?
We said goodbye to the Windy City at about 9:30 a.m. June 10 (Monday), headed for Lexington Kentucky, home of the Class A Lexington Legends. We found out a few things early (some we already knew): the back of the bus is always louder than the front; certain members of the group will talk endlessly about such topics as baseball, Soupy Sales, pro-wrestling and gluten-free; Chicago Mix (cheese corn and caramel corn) is addictive; snacks shared are snacks best-enjoyed; and karaoke can fill a bus (especially “Highway to Hell”).
Early on, one of our intrepid travelers (Nina), traveled all the way from the front of the bus to the back – to set up a “Long Bottom Stretch” bar. These refreshing cocktails (High Balls?) proved to go well with everything from Chicago Mix to Meat and Cheese to nothing at all.
Long Bottom Stretch
In a tin, shake 1 1/2 ounces Fords Gin, 1/2 ounce lime cordial*, 1/2 ounce lime juice, and 1/2 ounce Benedictine. Strain into a 10 ounce Collins glass over ice. Top with tonic and a pinch of salt. Garnish with an orange peel.
*Lime cordial: Heat 6 1/2 cups water and 2 cups sugar in a saucepan. Stir until sugar is dissolved, and then cool to room temperature. Stir in a cup of lime juice and chill.
Traffic and a time change brought us into Lexington at about the time the ballpark gates opened, so it was a late hotel check-in … but first the game.
Lexington has a nice ball park with great site lines and, as you’d expect in a Class A park, all the seats are pretty close to the action. We were seated in the lower deck, between home plate and first base (and the tickets were just $12.)
Before taking out seats, we stopped in the Kentucky Ale Tap Room, where one of the popular choices was Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale (aged in a bourbon barrel and about 9 percent alcohol) at $6.25.
I had the obligatory Bloody Mary – at $9.00. Nice pour of smooth vodka, but the mix was a little too much tomato and not enough spice. Still, it was $7.00 less than Wrigley – gotta love the minor leagues – and the service was good. In fact, service was good all over the park. For example, I needed team rosters to fill out my scorecard. They were available at Guest Services, but a staff member ran off to get one for me, so that I wouldn’t have to abandon my drink.
A few thoughts about the game and ballpark.
- The announced attendance was 3,001; but our group generally agreed that we’d be surprised if there were even 1,000 in the park. (That too was a surprise. The Legends started the game in second place in their division, just ½ game out of first and 1 ½ games up on the third-place Augusta Green Jackets – who they were playing that night.)
- Class A ballplayers are young – and learning. Consider, this contest featured, nine walks, three errors, one hit batter, and one wild pitch BY THE WINNING TEAM (Augusta 8-5). Each team had 12 hits and Lexington pitchers also walked four batsmen.
- Professional optimism was evidenced by the fact that the Legends (Royals affiliate) were pictured on the video board (as they came to the plate) not in Legends’ caps, but in Royals’ caps.
Now for a little Ballpark Tours narrative on the contest.
Legends’ starter Charlie Neuweiler (a 2017 fifth-round draft choice) seemed to have the game in hand early. Over the first four innings, he gave up just one run on four hits and had a 5-1 lead to work with. He retired the first two batters in the fifth and seemed to be on cruise control – and that’s when things went out of control. The next six batters went: walk; walk; single (loading the bases); two-run single; walk (loaded again); two-run single. Then, a pitching change (Bryce Hensley coming in), followed by: one-run single; one-run single; and finally out number three. So, Augusta had eight straight hitters reach base after two out in the inning – scoring six runs on three walks and five hits.
BBRT Players of the Game.
Legends’ CF Michael Gigliotti (23-years-old/2017 fourth-round draft pick). Gigliotti covered a lot of ground out in center (including a full-out, diving catch in the first inning) and went two-for-four with two walks. (He’s hitting .290 on the season.)
Legends’ LHP Bryce Hensley (23-years-old/2018 22nd-round draft pick). Gave up just one run in 4 1/3 innings of relief.
Augusta Greenjackets’ 1B Frankie Tostado (20-years-old/2017 19th-round draft pick. Tostado went three-for-five, with a run scored and three RBI. He’s .278-10-43 on the season.
Greenjackets ‘RF Diego Rincones (19-years-old/2015 International Free Agent). Rincones went three-for-five (one double) with two runs scored and one RBI. He’s hitting .285 on the season.
Long Balls a Major accomplishment.
The Legends/Greenjackets contest featured 24 hits, but just four extra-base hits (all doubles, three by the losing squad). Contrast that with the Diamondbacks/Phillies game on the same day – which featured 27 hits – 16 for extra bases, including a new MLB single-game (combined) record 13 home runs. (The D-backs went deep eight times in the 13-8 win.) Here are the culprits. D-backs: Eduardo Escobar and IIdemaro Vargas (2-HR each); Jarrod Dyson; Ketel Marte; David Peralta; Alex Avila. Phillies: Scott Kingery (2-Hr); Jean Segura; Rhys Hoskins; Jay Bruce.
A few more observations:
- Embarrassingly, a large portion of our group was seen in the eighth inning, in the bar, watching the NBA playoffs on TV – while a live baseball game was taking place just about 50-feet away.
- Thanks to the Legends ten-plus hits, everyone won a free order of fried pickles from the Tilted Kilt (don’t know when we will collect).
- The game included one inning of $1 beers.
- The best audio of the evening was when a visiting player took a called strike. Over the PA you heard; Man’s voice: “Can I help you with anything?” Woman’s voice: “No thanks, just looking.”
This head-snapping punch to the jaw may have been the prize winner.
Finally, the Legends offered up perhaps the most brutal fan promotional contests BBRT has seen. Large glove boxing with fans cheers determining who had handed out the best beating. Post-Post Note: Seriously, look at the size of those gloves, no one was going to be hurt in this promo.
Anyway, we checked into the hotel about 11 p.m. and out tour master had outdone himself – but more on that in a future post. (Spoiler alert: There is a contemporary art gallery/museum right in the hotel. If that doesn’t have Ballpark Tours written all over it, what does?)
Watch for more from the road in the coming days.
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