Sometimes life gets in the way of Dodgers Baseball. Let me take you into a day in the life of a Dodgers fanatic like myself. It’s Saturday late afternoon and yours truly is on the couch watching the Dodgers play the Mets at Citi Field in New York. It’s a tight ball game, with the Mets up 1-0 in the seventh inning. Taijuan Walker of New York is no-hitting the Dodgers into the seventh.
The Dodgers can’t get no-hit for the second time this season right? That hasn’t happened to the boys in blue since 2015. Then Will Smith bombs one into the bleachers to break the no-no and tie the game at 1-1. He’s so hot I think. Total clutch. Enfuego. Girlfriend comes into living room. We have to go shopping for a bed comforter and get groceries and then grab dinner. Crap, I totally forgot. “Let’s go after the game honey”. I see the look on her face. Nope, she’s not having that. Crap. We have to leave now.
Corey Seager had doubled off the wall and Walker looked rattled. The hottest Dodger AJ Pollock struck out, but a wild pitch sends Seager to third. Dodgers have a chance to break the game open. Chris Taylor walks and the Mets hook Walker for Aaron Loupe. Cody Bellinger is at the plate with runners at the corners and I have to leave.
As we are walking out, New York manager Luis Rojas is ejected for arguing balls and strikes, and then Bellinger strikes out to end the inning. We get in the car and I put the game on the radio AM570. We drive to the Department store with the game still tied in the bottom of the seventh.
Walker Buehler is still pitching and he’s nearing 100 pitches. He’s getting tired I’m thinking but I would rather have him finish the seventh. J.D. Davis singles off his foot, Jonathan Villar walks and the Dodgers are in trouble. But he gets out of it. He strikes out Nido and Blankethorn and gets Nimmo to foul out to Smith. He’s so gritty, I’m thinking as I laugh.
We pull up the department store. We walk in and I pull out my phone and notice there is no Wi-Fi. Why is there no Wi-Fi? Dang it. I go to my super top secret baseball stream site, but I have to use my data for it. I do a battery check, it’s at 90%. I’m good for now.
It’s the top of the eighth inning and Miguel Castro strikes out Billy Mckinney and Matt Beaty as the Dodgers go down in order. Girlfriend is distracted with purses. Good. I move to the front of the store to get a better signal. Old Ladies in front of me walking slowly. Move it! (HA HA HA JK).
Alex Vesia is now on to pitch the bottom of the eighth. They’ve gotta push across a run somehow. My mind turns to all kinds of small ball stuff. A bunt single. Stolen base. Ground ball and then a sac fly. That would do it. I laugh again. This is the Dodgers here, that’s not happening.
I laugh at myself again. Why am I thinking about small ball stuff with guys like Seager, Muncy, Bellinger etc. Those guys can just park one in the stands easily. I just want them to break the tie and get the heck out of Gotham with a win. Girlfriend asks me for opinion on purses. Which one looks better? I have no earthly idea. I point to the first one and tell her it looks nice. She agrees. Perfect. I go back to the game.
Vesia pitches an effective ninth inning. Boy he’s really been good lately. Somehow the Dodgers must have fixed him. Better command? Perhaps or new grip on an off-speed pitch? I’m not totally sure, but I know he’s turned things around.
The game moves to the ninth and Max Muncy opens the frame with a single off of Seth Lugo. We’re looking at bed comforters now. They all look the same. Seager and Pollock both ground into force outs and the game goes into the bottom of the ninth. I’m getting nervous now. We pick a comforter, but girlfriend wants to look at perfumes. That’s my cue to get out of her way.
I’m becoming more and more concerned. How the hell are the Dodgers going to pull this one out? Vesia gets the first out and then is double-switched out of the game for Phil Bickford and Zach Mckinstry. Bickford has been a good piece for them, but why take Pollock out of the game? Uh-oh girlfriend wants my opinion again. My real opinion is the Dodgers need to get this W.
Bickford gets Davis and Villar but looks a touch wild. I still think he should start the bottom of the tenth. Crap, the Dodgers are playing another extra-inning game. Girlfriend is looking at Kitchen stuff. Great, that’s one area where she won’t be asking for my opinion. I’m a terrible cook. She cooks like Gordon Ramsey. I hunker down in the shoes/clothing section to watch the rest of the game.
It’s the top of the tenth and still tied at 1-1. I do a battery check, and it’s at 75%. Dang, the Dodgers have gotta win this before my phone dies, or I lose stream. The stream begins to get pixelated. I’m using up too much data and my bandwidth is throttling. Then Cody Bellinger slashes a double inside first base and down the right field line scoring Seager. Dodgers go up 2-1!
There’s a pitching change with Bellinger at second. Justin Turner is pinch-hitting, but he strikes out swinging. We’re going to the bottom of the tenth. Bickford starts the frame. He strikes out James McCann. One down. Then he strikes out Brandon Drury. Two outs. One more to go. Then my phone starts losing bandwidth again. It’s hard to make out what’s happening. Here comes Dave Roberts to hook Bickford.
I wonder why. I know Bickford was a tick wild in the eighth, but he’s getting the Mets hitters to chase. He opened the inning striking out the first two guys. He brings in Corey Knebel. I like Knebel, he’s got good stuff, but this is 2021 and there is still a runner at second. Knebel works the count in his favor, but Brandon Nimmo battles to even it at 2-2. At least I think it’s Nimmo, but I can’t tell for sure. My feed is getting pixelated again. Battery at 65%. Girlfriend looming. Dodgers need to close this out now. They finally do. Nimmo (it’s definitely Nimmo) grounds to first as my feed comes back into focus. The Dodgers win 2-1 in 10 innings!
I pump my fist, put my phone away and find my girlfriend. She’s looking at shoes now. “The Dodgers won honey”. Good she says, because now she doesn’t have to listen to me complain all night. I nod my head and smile. We complete our purchases and head out for dinner.
This article is great, and very relatable. I love the way you weave your story.
This final stretch going into the postseason should be quite a ride. Can the team push the right buttons? I am hoping so. Much of the season has been hard to watch as a fan. I am hoping this works out too. Lots of winning will surely do the trick.
Keep the faith. In all things.
I used to be able to relate Scott. Been single for years, so no competition when it comes to watching the games. Only ones I do not get are the Rockies-Dodger games. Which I hope someday, MLB will come to their senses and quit blacking out games when someone is over 100 miles from the ballpark it is being played in. The Field of Dreams game might have moved some in that direction. Fans in Iowa cannot stream Cardinal, Royal, Cubs or White Sox games because of the blackout. And since most stream the games on MLB.TV, they are losing some fans.
There was a time when I was right there with you Scott. Not anymore. Can watch games at my own leisure.
I’m jealous lolz.