Elvis has left the ballpark and he took with him my six game winning streak, which is all gone. Though my streak was only against KC & SEA, it was still a streak, you have to beat the bad teams.
It was Elvis night out at the Cell, took the L down with Mom & Dad, got there just as the gates opened. Listened to an Elvis impersonator before going inside. Introduced the folks to all my friends at the ballpark, Tade brought his uncles (John & Joe), Dick & Bea were there, so were Terry & Bubba.
Before the game there was a very nice tribute to Andy the cameraman. His camera was laid on the field, covered with a teeshirt with the number one & AndyCam on the back, surrounded by his family, the scoreboard featured a montage of his life at the ballpark with his camera. He really seemed to love his job, smiling in every picture, far too young to go, 52, my age. There was a moment of silence and a standing ovation.
The Rays opened the game by putting runners on second & third with nobody out. John Danks fielded a bleeder between home and the pitcher’s mound, sprinted toward home, and dove fullout, tagging the runner out, A.J. had gone out to try to field the ball. Moments later Pierzynski would get his opportunity to tag out a runner at the dish, on the tail end of a 7-2 DP to end the top of one, remarkably without any runs scoring.
The Sox didn’t score in the first as with two out and the bases loaded, Edwin Jackson got Alexei Ramirez to popup. Then in the 2nd inning, Ken Griffey, Jr. didn’t challenge centerfielder B.J. (Bossman Junior) Upton’s arm on a single by Orlando Cabrera, with Griffey on 2nd after a double, Chicago stranded two more.
Finally in the 4th Nick Swisher went yard for a two run bomb. Swisher wore an Elvis wig on the field before & after the game. The Sox then squandered two base runners in the 4th, when both Juan Uribe & Cabrera were caught.
Chicago trailed 3-2 in the 7th when Danks was relieved by Matt Thornton, Matt got Carlos Pena swinging with two on and two out. But Octavio Dotel resembled Fat Elvis when he allowed three runs in the 8th, then Horacio Ramirez was nothing but a Hound Dogs when he surrendered three more in the 9th. Adam Russell came on to close the barn door, but the horse was long gone. Alexei Ramirez hit a two run rocket to left in the 8th, but there was no way to overcome the bullpen imploding.
Final score, Bad Guys win it, 9-4.
The fireworks after the game, done to Elvis songs, were tremendous! Then there were Flying Elvi parachuting onto the field. Lotsa fans dressed up, you can get a sample at www.whitesox.com/fanfoto gallery 70 (me, Tade, & Dick each have a picture on the board).
I’m going to miss the last two games of this series with the Rays, leaving early in the morning for California, won’t be back at the Cell till September 5th.
So I’ll give a big shout out, LET’S GO WHITE SOX!!!