Adventures of a Baseball Fan

We were in for a major treat. The starters for the game were Curt Schilling for Boston against John Smoltz for Atlanta. Talk about a pitching matchup! I had never seen a faceoff of that caliber before, for sure. I had seen Schilling the year before in Boston and Smoltz two years prior when the Braves were in Philadelphia. I knew it was going to be a good game!

I sent my uncle and cousin to the seats, and took a little walk around to get some pictures. It was a “cool” eighty-three degrees in a stadium packed with almost 49,000 other fans, making us especially grateful that it was a night game.

Turner Field was a neat place, not overdone, definitely a ballpark. There were unique touches along with references to team history all around. Our seats were in the second section up from the field, just past third base. I thought they were good seats, even though I tend to prefer the first base side.

Most of my all-time favorite players were Red Sox at one time. The game in Atlanta re-introduced me to a future favorite, Mike Lowell. I had seen Lowell play for Florida two years earlier against the Mets. Back then he had had a couple of hits and an RBI, knocking in the run that beat the Mets. I wasn’t sure what to think of Lowell when he was killing my Mets, but seeing him play well for Boston won me over.

The games started with two quick outs from Smoltz until the third man up, Big Papi, gave the ball a ride out of the park via center field. We were overjoyed! High fives came from everywhere. I love it when the team I am rooting for jumps out to an early lead, even if it is only one run.

Schilling gave up a single to the first batter, but then settled in nicely, setting down the next three in order. Smoltz started off the second with walk and a single before getting out of the inning. Schilling allowed the same exact events in the bottom of the inning, a single and a walk but no runs. What a matchup it was!

In the top of the third, Smoltz gave up a one-out single but then induced a double play to end the inning. Schilling had a rougher time of it in the bottom of the inning. A single started things off, followed by two groundouts that put the runner in scoring position. A single scored the tying run. There were two outs and one on. A double and another single scored two more runs. Uh oh: Braves 3, Red Sox 1 after three innings. In the top of the fourth, Manny Ramirez sent one sailing for Boston’s second solo home of the game, closing in on the Braves. The place went crazy! More high fives! The energy in the park was amazing.

Over the next couple of innings, things settled down a bit, with each team getting just one hit and no runs. The top of the sixth started off with Smoltz issuing three walks. It was time for the Red Sox to take full advantage. Jason Varitek grounded into a double play but brought Ortiz home to tie the game. Phew! The place was going crazy again. I was so pleased to see lots of Red Sox fans there. The young man sitting next to me was from Boston but attending college near Atlanta. He had gotten tickets to all three games of the series. Seeing a whole series was something I had never done. Hmm, I might add that to my to-do list.

In the top of the seventh, Smoltz handled the Red Sox dandily. Manny Delcarmen relieved Schilling in the bottom of the frame, getting the first two batters out and then giving up a single. Javier Lopez came in to relieve Delcarmen and proceeded to walk the next batter. Ugh! Rudy Seanez came in with two outs and two men on. He immediately gave up a three-run home run to Jeff Francoeur, who came to play for the Mets in 2009. Oh no! The score was Braves 6, Red Sox 3.

Macay McBride relieved Smoltz in the top of the eighth inning. He struck out our big guns, Ortiz and Ramirez! I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. But then McBride walked the next two. Maybe we would make something happen. Coco Crisp hit a long single to bring one home and move a runner to third. That brought Chad Paronto to the mound for the Braves. Mike Lowell pinch-hit. That at-bat was what made him stand out in my mind. He drove a double to right field, scoring two runs and tying the game. Lowell was a double-hitting machine! What a play! Another of my favorites, Alex Cora, pinch-hit, knocking a single to score Lowell with the go-ahead run. Sox take the lead again! Cora advanced to second on a throwing error. Kevin Youkilis, another one of my favorite players, came to bat and hit a home run to bring in two more runs! I was so excited that I was jumping up and down. Mike Remlinger came in for Paronto. Just leave him in! We really liked Paronto, as Sox fans. Mark Loretta hit a single to left to welcome Remlinger. David Ortiz, batting for the second time that inning, was hit by a pitch, putting two men on for Manny Ramirez. The excitement dwindled just a bit as Ramirez popped out. But still, eleven men to the plate and six runs isn’t a bad inning!

Mike Timlin took the mound for Boston in the bottom of the eighth. Lowell took over third, Cora took over shortstop, and Youkilis moved over to first. At the time I barely understood the moves, but came to be so impressed with the versatility of this Boston team, especially Youkilis.

Ryan Langerhans got a hold of a pitch for a deep double, followed by a single by Marcus Giles to drive in a run for Atlanta. Renteria jabbed a single to advance Giles to second. Here we go again! Chipper Jones pinch-hit for Remlinger, reaching on a fielder’s choice a