Days Three and Four … More versus Cubs Cardinals and a Legendary Half Inning.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

$\"The$ <\/a>
The Cubby Bear was packed.<\/p><\/div>\n
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$\"Wrigley2\"$ <\/a>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.\u00a0 The weather was bit cool, with a noticeable fog over the city.\u00a0 Much to the pleasure of the Cubs\u2019 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.<\/p>\n
From a Baseball Roundtable perspective, I was pleased to see the first 4-6-3 double play (Cardinals\u2019 Wong-to DeJong-to Goldschmidt), as well as three successful sacrifice bunts.<\/p>\n
BBRT Observation<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
It\u2019s generally accepted that the National League is the \u201crunning\u201d 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. \u00a0(The only NL team to crack the top eight is the Brewers at number five.)<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
For the second Cubs’ game, I went traditional \u2013 a Chicago Dog.\u00a0 An all-beef hot dog on a poppy seed bun \u2013 and you add your own pickle spears, tomato wedges, raw onions, hot and sweet peppers, relish, mustard and ketchup. All for just $7.75.\u00a0 A ballpark bargain.<\/p>\n
Once the final out was made, it was another rendition of \u201cGo, Cubs, Go,\u201d an EL ride back to the hotel and either off to bed or off to a few more celebratory libations.<\/p>\n
DAY FOUR \u2013 A BUS RIDE, A LONG BOTTOM STRETCH AND A BALL GAME<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
$\"Appropriate$ <\/a>
Appropriate shirt for this group?<\/p><\/div>\n
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 \u201cHighway to Hell\u201d).<\/p>\n
$\"nINA\"$ <\/a>Early on, one of our intrepid travelers (Nina), traveled all the way from the front of the bus to the back \u2013 to set up a \u201cLong Bottom Stretch\u201d bar.\u00a0 These refreshing cocktails (High Balls?) proved to go well with everything from Chicago Mix to Meat and Cheese to nothing at all.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Long Bottom Stretch<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
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.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>Top with tonic and a pinch of salt. Garnish with an orange peel.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
*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.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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 \u2026 but first the game.<\/p>\n
$\"Legendsseats\"$ <\/a>Lexington has a nice ball park with great site lines and, as you\u2019d expect in a Class A park, all the seats are pretty close to the action.\u00a0 We were seated in the lower deck, between home plate and first base (and the tickets were just $12.)<\/p>\n
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\u00a0 bourbon barrel and about 9 percent alcohol) at $6.25.<\/p>\n
$\"Legendsblody\"$ <\/a> I had the obligatory Bloody Mary \u2013 at $9.00. Nice pour of smooth vodka, but the mix was a little too much tomato and not enough spice.\u00a0 Still, it was $7.00 less than Wrigley \u2013 gotta love the minor leagues \u2013 and the service was good.\u00a0 In fact, service was good all over the park.\u00a0 For example, I needed team rosters to fill out my scorecard.\u00a0 They were available at Guest Services, but a staff member ran off to get one for me, so that I wouldn\u2019t have to abandon my drink.<\/p>\n
A few thoughts about the game and ballpark.<\/p>\n
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The announced attendance was 3,001; but our group generally agreed that we\u2019d 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 \u00bd game out of first and 1 \u00bd games up on the third-place Augusta Green Jackets – who they were playing that night.<\/em>)<\/li>\n
Class A ballplayers are young \u2013 and learning. Consider, this contest featured, nine walks, three errors, one hit batter, and one wild pitch BY THE WINNING TEAM<\/strong><\/em> (Augusta 8-5). Each team had 12 hits and Lexington pitchers also walked four batsmen.<\/li>\n
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\u2019 caps, but in Royals\u2019 caps.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Now for a little Ballpark Tours narrative on the contest.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
Legends\u2019 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.\u00a0 He retired the first two batters in the fifth and seemed to be on cruise control \u2013 and that\u2019s when things went out of control.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 So, Augusta had eight straight hitters reach base after two out in the inning –\u00a0 scoring six runs on three walks and five hits.<\/p>\n
BBRT Players of the Game.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
Legends\u2019 CF Michael Gigliotti<\/strong> (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.\u00a0 (He\u2019s hitting .290 on the season.)<\/p>\n
Legends\u2019 LHP Bryce Hensley<\/strong> (23-years-old\/2018 22nd-round draft pick). Gave up just one run in 4 1\/3 innings of relief.<\/p>\n
Augusta Greenjackets\u2019 1B Frankie Tostado<\/strong> (20-years-old\/2017 19^{th<\/sup>-round draft pick. Tostado went three-for-five, with a run scored and three RBI.\u00a0 He\u2019s .278-10-43 on the season.<\/p>\n}
Greenjackets \u2018RF Diego Rincones<\/strong> (19-years-old\/2015 International Free Agent). Rincones went three-for-five (one double) with two runs scored and one RBI.\u00a0 He\u2019s hitting .285 on the season.<\/p>\n
Long Balls a Major accomplishment.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0The Legends\/Greenjackets contest featured 24 hits, but just four extra-base hits (all doubles, three by the losing squad).\u00a0 Contrast that with the Diamondbacks\/Phillies game on the same day \u2013 which featured 27 hits \u2013 16 for extra bases, including a new MLB single-game (combined) record 13 home runs.\u00a0 (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: \u00a0Scott Kingery (2-Hr); Jean Segura; Rhys Hoskins; Jay Bruce.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
A few more observations:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
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Embarrassingly, a large portion of our group was seen in the eighth inning, in the bar, watching the NBA playoffs on TV \u2013 while a live baseball game was taking place just about 50-feet away.<\/li>\n
Thanks to the Legends ten-plus hits, everyone won a free order of fried pickles from the Tilted Kilt (don\u2019t know when we will collect).<\/li>\n
The game included one inning of $1 beers.<\/li>\n
The best audio of the evening was when a visiting player took a called strike. Over the PA you heard;\u00a0 Man\u2019s voice:\u00a0 \u201cCan I help you with anything?\u201d\u00a0 Woman\u2019s voice: \u201cNo thanks, just looking.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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$\"This$ <\/a>
This head-snapping punch to the jaw may have been the prize winner.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n
Finally, the Legends offered up perhaps the most brutal fan promotional contests BBRT has seen.\u00a0 Large glove boxing with fans cheers determining who had handed out the best beating. <\/strong>Post-Post Note:\u00a0 Seriously, look at the size of those gloves, no one was going to be hurt in this promo.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Anyway, we checked into the hotel about 11 p.m. and out tour master had outdone himself \u2013 but more on that in a future post. (Spoiler alert: There is a contemporary art gallery\/museum right in the hotel.\u00a0 If that doesn\u2019t have Ballpark Tours written all over it, what does?)<\/p>\n
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Watch for more from the road in the coming days.<\/strong><\/p>\n
BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE ON THE TOP 100 BASEBALL BLOG LIST<\/strong><\/p>\n
$\"100\"$ <\/a>Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs.\u00a0 To see the full list, click\u00a0 here.<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT<\/h3>\n
Follow\/Like Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook Page\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0 More baseball commentary; blog post notifications; PRIZES.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); The Baseball Reliquary; The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.<\/strong><\/p>\n
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Days Three and Four … More versus Cubs Cardinals and a Legendary Half Inning. Day Three (June 9) saw us still in Chicago \u2013 looking forward to an event Cubs\/Cards tilt.\u00a0 During the day, our adventurers headed out to places like the Second City Comedy Club Brunch, the Steppenwolf Theater or back for a second […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13,11,9],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n