May 1st, 2011

Fenway Park
Boston, MA

Every year since I graduated college, I've taken my dad to a baseball game for his birthday. This year I even managed to score tickets to a Sunday afternoon game, which is far easier on his schedule. My mom volunteered to drive down with him, and she chilled at my apartment while we enjoyed the game.

Due to the massive popularity of the Red Sox, buying tickets on the day they're released in December is fiercely competative. I always want grandstand tickets, and can never get them without landing myself in Obstructed View seats. So we always joke about the poll that blocks our view. The section was fairly vacant this year, however, so we got to move over a couple of seats to get a clear view of all the players.

It was a fantastic game. With my man Wakefield pitching, he held them off 5 2/3rds innings, until they took him out. Everything was going smoothly. We were ahead by two runs. Then Jenks came in as the reliever. With a 8.6 ERA going in, we should have seen it coming. I honestly think Wake could have made it a few more pitches to close out the inning. But instead Jenks sent the game to hell. Two runners on base, he walked two or three more. They ended up with two runs to tie the game and the entire stadium was booing in utterly horrified disappointment.

We held them off another three innings and with 2 outs, Carl Crawford batted in a run at the bottom of the 9th. At least someone redeemed themselves in the game. Great game, great win, great time with my dad!

3-2 at the bottom of the 9th, two outs
Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles
Fenway Park
Boston, MA