I wonder how many people will be able to join me in the gamechat…
kind of unhappy with this change in Chatroll – no longer lets us embed the window into the post with the WP.com install instructions. I will do some investigation and see if I can’t get it fixed ASAP. I apologize if anyone is having trouble.
My many many thanks go to my buddy Corey for thinking of me while his poor brother was stuck in a meeting. Oh, and thanks to Chad too! 🙂
There are really no more words that can be said that will be in any way unique after all the rest of the amazing reviews of this place and this game. I’ll just let the photos say the rest.
ok, this lineup is about what I would expect after how many games Gardy has had Thome & Kubel out at the same time – he’s going to rest them both together too. I really wish we’d stick to one at a time for all the above unless absolutely necessary. (/personal grumbling)
*sigh* yeah, that was so close but I think most of us just really wanted the sweep because it was Chicago. It’s good to have won two series in a row ON THE ROAD regardless. It’s a great set up to bring a winning team into Target Field.
The Knuckleballs are currently having a little trouble setting up a proper post with lineups and the gamechat. We’re working on it, even from location from Major’s!
Yay!! Jim Thome is going to be hitting against his old team.. that’s always fun. Oh yeah, and allof Twins Territory has their fingers crossed hoping beyond hope that the right Franky shows up to pitch. *knock on wood* And lest we forget, Happy MLB Debut to Drew Butera!
Thursday was “Opening Day” for minor league teams across the country and I took advantage of the opportunity to watch the Twins’ Class A affiliate in the Midwest League, the Beloit Snappers, open their season on the road here in Cedar Rapids against the Kernels.
Beloit Snappers Opening Night 2010
Let me just say, I really intended to catch 6-7 innings and then head home to watch the Twins and Angels by the time they got things going out in California. But with the Snappers and Kernels locked in a scoreless contest, there’s no way I was leaving until the game was decided. That happened, finally, in the 10th inning on a Michael Gonzales single that drove in Brian Dozier with the first run of the game, followed immediately by Derek McCallum scoring an insurance run on a throwing error by the Kernels’ Casey Haerther.
Truth be told, however, the game never should have made it to extra innings. Beloit loaded the bases with one out in the top of the sixth inning with a single by 3B Anderson Hidalgo, a double by RF Angel Morales, and an intentional walk to Aaron Hicks. That’s when Kernels relief pitcher Buddy Boshers uncorked a wild pitch and Hidalgo broke for home. Yes, the plate umpire called Hidalgo out, but you be the judge…
Anderson Hidalgo leads off 3B and Angel Morales is at 2BAnderson Hidalgo is... out? Yeah... that was the call. Resulting in a scoreless tie headed to extra innings
Snappers pitchers struck out 15 Kernels over the 10 innings. Which is impressive… but not quite as impressive as the 16 K’s tallied by Kernels pitching. Derek McCallum wins some sort of award, I suppose, by virtue of being the only Snapper NOT to strike out, as he doubled in the 2nd inning, grounded to the first baseman in the 5th, and flew out to left field in the 7th, before being hit by a pitch in the 10th and eventually scoring the Snappers’ second run. Michael Gonzales was the sole Snapper with more than one hit, going 2-4, including a single that drove in the game winning run in the 1oth.
Liam Hendriks dominated for his five innings. Michael Gonzales (at 1B) was the only Snapper with more than one hit.
Liam Hendriks struck out 7 Kernels in 5 innings of work, including 5 of the final 6 hitters he faced. Tom Stuifbergen relieved Hendriks in the 6th and barely missed a beat as he recorded three strikeouts, sandwiched around a single, in his one inning of relief.
Tom Stuifbergen struck out three in his sole inning on the mound.
On a personal note, let me just say, for the benefit of those of you considering a visit to Target Field later this month… 10 innings of baseball in temperatures that drop below 40 degrees during the course of a game makes for a very cold evening! By all means, don’t let it dissuade you from going to the game, but dress appropriately!
To wrap up this post, just a few more pictures from Opening Night in Cedar Rapids…
Snappers Catcher Danny RamsAngel Morales and Anderson Hidalgo before the gameAaron Hicks robs Eric Oliver of a hit in the 5th inning.Brian Dozier scores the game's first run in the top of the 10th.Snappers are 1-0!Yes... I stayed through the entire 10 innings, despite the 37 degree weather
