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| 2018 Topps Gypsy Queen #144 |
Game 41 - Thursday Night, May 17th in St. Louis
Record - 25-16, 2nd place, 1/2 game behind the Braves
One Sentence Summary: Vince Velasquez handled the Cardinals offense while Odubel Herrera continued to swing a hot bat in this 6-2 win.
What It Means: I really wanted to be able to cheer on the Cubs against the Braves on Thursday night, but rain foiled my plans . . . see below.
What Happened: Velasquez pitched into the seventh inning, shutting out the Cardinals on just five hits. Carlos Santana (8) and Pedro Florimon (1) homered.
Featured Card: Herrera just keeps on hitting. He had a pair of hits, reached on a walk and drove in a pair of runs.
Transaction: Mark Leiter, Jr. was on the active roster for a day, didn't appear in a game, and was optioned down to the IronPigs following the one-game Orioles series. Adam Morgan was activated from the disabled list to take his place on the roster.
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Field Report: I visited Atlanta for a few days for a work-related training session and found myself with a free night on Thursday. I purchased a ticket to the Braves-Cubs game (Section 32, Row 13, Seat 1), anxious to see the new SunTrust Park and cross another ballpark off my list. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't cooperating and heavy rain started falling right before the scheduled 7:35 first pitch.
The game was called after a 2 1/2 hour delay, and the rain delay gave me a chance to explore the areas of the ballpark that were under cover. It's a nice ballpark, and I'd compare it to (also relatively new) Nationals Park. There's a shopping/restaurant/bar village vibe to "The Battery Atlanta" area surrounding the ballpark but the rain precluded me from exploring that area.
I really enjoyed the indoor Monument Garden, home to the Braves Hall of Fame plaques, a Hank Aaron statue, a history of the Braves jerseys, various game-used memorabilia and a timeline of the Braves history. During my exploration, I ran into the Braves' mascot Blooper and it (?) was kind enough to pose for a picture with me. Hopefully we'll return one day for a visit that's not so soggy so that we can actually enjoy rooting against the Braves.
4 comments:
Section 32?
Glad you were able to explore the park, at least, while you were there. Do you still get to "cross it off your list" if it was a rainout?
Section 36 was sold out!
It's off the list . . . Judges said that buying a ticket and then consuming at least one hot dog and beer counts towards the tally.
I agree that buying a ticket and sitting in the seat (or at least eating a hot dog) would count for me too. Does merely taking a tour of a park when the team is out of town remove a stadium from the list for you? I toured L'stade Olympique in 1995 and Turner (formerly Centennial Olympic) Stadium around 2006, with the Expos and Braves on the road, unfortunately. I don't count those on my checklist of stadiums where I've seen games, but I include them on a side list numbering 3 of stadiums I have toured. Because I didn't see games there and don't count them, the only asterisk on my list is for RFK Stadium in DC, former home of the Nats. I didn't see the Nats play there but rather the Red Sox vs. Phillies on April 5, 1992. Although it was an exhibition game, I count it in my "MLB stadiums where I've seen games" list (currently at 27) and not my spring training list (of just two).
Steve - Excellent idea for a future post! . . . Asking readers how many ballparks they've visited.
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