Sometimes Your Luck Runs Out (Postgame Notes 22 May 2009)

The game, I must have decided, wasn't unlucky when Ibañez uncorked one all the way into the right field bleachers.

It wasn't unlucky when Kevin Cash had some of the worst-looking swings I've ever seen from a major leaguer.

It wasn't even unlucky when Jimmy Rollins hit the very first pitch of the game over the right field fence.


No, it was unlucky when they couldn't find my jacket.

***

Last Friday, amidst the hubbub of Melky's and the Yankees' walk-off win, Dan and I forgot the Adidas jacket that I had been brought in case of rain. It was still there, plopped under a seat in section 211, when we exited the Stadium and headed for a cab.

No problem, I figured. I have tickets for next Friday's game. If they have a lost and found, surely, then, I'll find it, get it back and all will be fine and dandy.

***

This evening, when I got to the Stadium, I met my brother and his friend, whilst my game companion (Joe) was still en route.

My brother and his friend decided to explore the Stadium; I figured I'd go and check after my jacket.

I walked up to the booth in the Great Hall for customer service; I asked one of the very nice people there two questions:

a) Is there anywhere in the Stadium that sells sunblock (No, which is an issue considering summer sun and day games) and

b) Do you have a Lost and Found?

They do have a Lost and Found. They asked what I lost, when it was lost and where; I told them a black Adidas jacket last Friday in section 211.

They looked through a log and then phoned someone in a far off room, but to no avail. They shook their heads, as though to say "Sorry, no dice."


There goes my summer rain coat.


***

As for the game itself...


I have seen home runs.

I have seen players hit multiple home runs in the same game.

I've seen one run home runs, two runs, three runs...though I can't remember ever seeing a Grand Slam.

I've seen home runs off of good pitchers and home runs off of bad; cheap shots that just clear the fence and no doubters...

...but I have never seen the shots like I saw tonight.

Jimmy Rolllins, Jason Werth, Raul Ibañez and Carlos Ruiz for the Phillies; Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira for the Yankees.

A hot night and two fly ball pitchers was a recipe for home runs. And so we saw. From the very first pitch.

Ultimately, the difference may be ascribe to this: Of Philly's four home runs, two came with men on base, so instead of four runs there were six (and one more on a non-home run play).

All of the Yankees' home runs were solo shots (but holy moly, what a shot for Teixeira! Into the top deck!), because they just couldn't get men on base. Brett Myers put on a razzle-dazzle them type-show.

****

Lost in all the home run hullaballoo will be Chien Ming Wang's three innings, where his ERA went down even after Raul Ibañez's shot.

Wang gave up six hits in three innings--too many, of course--but with the exception of Ibañez's utter moonshot (and it was a moonshot) they were all singles, and the way the ball carried tonight, that says something.

Wang's three innings are the most he's pitched all year, and by being able to work out of trouble, he showed massive progress.

He's not all the way there yet, but he's better than he was, and that's something.

****

The best reaction to the game came from the team itself:

So what if we lost tonight? It happens.

We'll consider this the start a new winning streak.


Since Boston and Toronto both lost, the Yankees lost no ground in the standings.

Andy Pettitte's on the mound for the Yanks; I have to pick up a friend at JFK around three, so I don't expect to liveblog.

I'll be blogging likely sporadically throughout the week, but I will do my best to make sure each game is covered.