Hot Hot Hot...Not Not Not

One of the hottest nights so far of the summer, July 6, I go with a group of students from the English Language Center and 5 of my friends. I like these new set of seats, Section 206 Row 6 which are just left of right field with a nice view of 1st base and the line between the pitcher's mound and home plate. We suffer through the blazing sun until it sneaks behind the jumbo screen, then can settle in for the rest of the game.

Tonight is special. Ryan Howard, who tore his Achilles tendon in the very last out that sent the Cardinals to the World Series in 2011, is going to play tonight.  The cheering begins for this crowd favorite  as  he retakes his place at 1st base, but  the cheering reaches its full pitch when he steps up to the plate for the first time. His signature stance with the bat stretched high in front of him is what we have been waiting for.

It is a miracle....He swings at the very first pitch and it is almost out of the park for a double. Up on the board the batting average says 1.000. What a great start, batting a thousand. He ends the night with a .667, 2 out of 3 hits, but is stranded once on second and once on third.

Throughout the game, Robert explains the rules to our Brazilian students, while the Kuwaiti, Venezuelan, Chinese and Korean students listen in. I'm loving that the Kuwait student has gone directly to the ballpark store to buy everything he needs to be decked out in full Phillies garb, a bright red and white t-shirt and cap on backwards. He fits right in.

English Language Center goes to the ballgame

What they don't understand fully is how bad the 8th inning is for Phillies fans. Kendrick surprisingly pitches a good 7 innings so that the score remains 0-0  keeping us hopeful. Then Bastardo is brought in for no apparent reason, and all is downhill from there. With 3 men on base, he WALKS the next batter. That is bad enough, but to put the nail in the coffin, the  next batter hits a GRAND SLAM.  Our row is in agony, groaning with our head in our hands.

There is no redemption that night, no joy in mudville, I'm afraid. And losses the next 2 nights give the Atlanta Braves a sweep. The Phillies are 11 out of first place and 13 under. 500.


Two bright spots
In the section next to us, we notice a lot of commotion, a camera, a man on his knees. It's a suprise marriage proposal.  She apparently says YES

More important, though. Carlos Ruiz is chosen for the All Star team for the first time (let's hope he doesn't get hurt!)