Tuesday's game in Vegas didn't seem quite as hot as Monday's, or I'm getting used to it. By game time the sun is low enough that the stands are all in shadow so it isn't too bad to watch a game. Even with it not being so hot, they didn't have much of a crowd at the game. Announce at 3,000 and some, I don't believe it. I'd be surprised if there were 2,000 people there.
It was a fun game, the 51's won 10-6. No home runs in this one. It is funny, the park is huge, it is 433 to center field and 364 to the power alleys and the outfield wall is high and yet there are of home runs hit there. There is a ton of outfield to cover. If it was a major league park, you'd want three very fast outfielders to cover all the ground. Also there is a ton of foul ground both up the first base and third base line.
Travis Snider went 4 for 5 sans mustache. His second at bat came with the bases loaded, he hit a ball down the left field line, that landed about 10 feet from the wall, I figured he had a triple, but the umpire called it foul. I had a pretty good view of it and thought it was fair, but with the 3 umpire system that they use in Triple-A, it was the plate umpire's call, he had a lot of things going on with runners coming to the plate. The next pitch Travis pulled for 2 run single to right. It seemed like he decided that if he wasn't going to get the call to left field, he'd try right. He had a really good game, 4 hard hits and a fly out, 4 RBI, 2 stolen bases and he played center field. I keep calling him Moonraker, hoping it will catch on. One at bat, there was a time out and the umpire said something to Travis and he just shrugged in response. Course I figured that the umpire was asking why some idiot was calling him Moonraker every at bat. Don't worry, I'm far less annoying than the guy that brings a couple of dozen noise makers to each game (trumpet, hand bells, whistles). A few of us were talking about borrowing his bag of annoying sound makers and a players bat and putting it all out of our misery.
Mike McCoy had 2 hits and 2 walks, and was thrown out stealing. David Cooper went 2 for 4 with a double. Darin Mastroianni was 4 for 5, with a double and a triple, He's been pretty hot the last little bit, he's hitting .378 for August. He got off to a slow start this year, nice to see him turn it around. I still really like him for a fourth outfielder, great speed and great defense. Our old friend, Jayson Nix, was 2 for 5 with 3 RBI. I wish I had a nickname for him that I could yell out each at bat, but all the names I have for him I can't say out loud at a game with a bunch of kids around. Brian Jeroloman was 1 for 3 with a walk and a double. Adam Loewen was 0 for 5,no strikeouts.
Chad Gaudin made his first start for the 5`'s and really didn't impress, 3 innings, 4 hits, 2 walks, 1 k and 3 earned. He didn't look like someone the Jays would be calling up anytime soon. Rommie Lewis pitched the last 2 inning perfect innings. The park radar had his fastball in the 94-95 range.
Yesterday I forgot to mention that Danny Farquhar pitched the 9th inning. That's the first time I'd seen him pitch and he was great, he struck out the side around a single. He threw straight side arm and the radar had him at 95. I can't imagine he'd be fun to face if you were right-handed batter. He was fun to watch.