The Games
1) We (my son, older daughter and I) saw the Reading Phillies, the Double A Eastern League affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, play the Bowie Baysox (a Baltimore Orioles affiliate) on April 26, 2000. After 4 batters in the top of the 1st, Bowie was up 3-0. Two runs scored on a triple by shortstop Ivanon Coffie. In the bottom of the inning, Reading scored 2 runs on RBI singles by Pete Rose, Jr. and catcher Johnny Estrada (3 for 5 on the day). After tying it in the 4th, Reading exploded for 6 runs in the 5th. Bowie rallied for 2 in the 7th, but fell short on the day, 9-5.
2) On September 7, 2001, I took my two daughters to see Reading play the Erie Seawolves (a Detroit Tigers affiliate) in game #3 of the Eastern League�s southern division semi-final series. Erie scored in the 4th on a HR by left fielder Rich Gomez. Gomez helped Reading score 2 unearned runs in the bottom of the inning by dropping an easy fly ball that should have been the 3rd out. (He took his eye off the ball to smirk at some fans who were yelling �Drop it!� Let that be a lesson, kids.) Erie tied it in the 5th on a sac fly, and it stayed that way until the Reading 8th. The leadoff hitter, right fielder Manny Gonzalez, walked. Erie starter Rick Kirsten, who had pitched well (7 innings, 4 hits, no earned runs, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts) was lifted for Fernando Rodney. He struck out DH Gary Burnham, who was 0 for 3 against Kirsten, but then gave up back-to-back homers to J.D. Roberge and Travis Chapman. The crowd went wild. Erie went quietly in the 9th to give Reading the win, 5-2. The Viking sang, and then the fireworks began. |
