Birthday Baseball Returns

It was a tradition for many years that there would be a baseball game on my birthday.

One of my favorites was in 2012.

But last night's was pretty special too. In part because it was the first time in three years that I'd been to a game on my birthday. Mostly it was because of the performance of Max Scherzer. He is always amazing to watch. But tonight was something special. He had what is called an immaculate inning.

Here's how it unfolded:

The perfection began with a slider for a called strike against Johnny Field, who had doubled for the Rays’ first hit in his previous at-bat. Scherzer, taking no chances, finished him off with whiffs on a slider and a change-up. Next up was poor Christian Arroyo, tasked to pinch-hit against a revved-up hacksaw. Fastball looking, fastball swinging, change-up swinging. Strikeout. Two outs.

That brought up Daniel Robertson, Tampa Bay’s leadoff hitter and on-base-percentage leader. Robertson put up a valiant fight, fouling back a fastball, but that made it 0-2 and Scherzer wasn’t about to let him escape. He challenged Robertson with a 96-mph fastball. Robertson swung through it for strike three, giving Scherzer his second career nine-pitch, three-strikeout inning. The only other pitchers in baseball history known to have completed two such innings are Lefty Grove, Sandy Koufax, Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson. All are in the Hall of Fame. Scherzer continues building his case to join them.

“I honestly didn’t know it happened,” Scherzer said. “Then I walked off the field and I was like, ‘Wait a second, I think that was it.’ So, yeah, that’s cool.”

We had two sets of sets too. A friend was going to go to the game. Her husband gets tickets from his office. She said she was busy every night this week and so wanted one day off. So she offered me the tickets. We sat in the seats through the 6th inning. Then we went for ice cream. After ice cream we sat in our regular seats. It was a really good night.

Star Wars Day at Nationals Park

One of the really fun days to go to a baseball game. Star Wars Day. (This is a little late but who can pass up Star Wars and baseball together.)

More from Star Wars Day

Star Wars Day Line Up, Part II

The Presidents Were Strong with the Force

Pups and Presidents Bring a Win for the Nats 3-1

It was pups in the park yesterday at Nationals' Park and that seem to do the trick because the Nats won. It's the first game I've been to this year that they've won. It was also a much needed win. The Nats have not been doing well this year.

Here's a little about the game from the Post:

Gio Gonzalez often gets a little frustrated after losses but is not the type to let animosity linger. So when he suggested his manager, Dave Martinez, took him out too soon when he removed him in the sixth inning in his previous start, the two talked it over. Both of them seemed just fine with where they left things, neither bullied into submission nor storming away misunderstood.

But on Sunday, with few fresh arms in the bullpen and a tight lead to preserve, Martinez left Gonzalez in to pitch the seventh inning. Gonzalez put two men on, sliding into the kind of mess that has so often consumed this team late.

Then, in what amounts to a total reversal of fortunes for the Nationals, he got out of it. Something went right. Brandon Kintzler and Sean Doolittle handled the eighth and ninth. Washington salvaged a 3-1 win from an otherwise damaging series against the Arizona Diamondbacks and moved back to four games under .500.

Mat Wieters heads for home

There was some luck involved in the win. Arizona's starting pitcher went out with an injury. Matt Wieters was at bat. He was able to hit a home run off the reliever. The Nats then loaded the bases. They got one run on an error. But the chance to blow the game wide open eluded them. This had been a problem the Nats have had all year. They've had people in scoring position but have failed to get them in.

Michael Taylor added another home run in the third. The Nats were able to out of a couple of jams and ended up winning the game.

Michael A. Taylor adds another run

The Home Opener of 2018

Not exactly the results you would hope for. The Nats were pretty flat for the whole game. There were some flashes mostly from Adam Eaton but then he got hurt.

This how the Post summed it up:

But by the end of the afternoon, after Stephen Strasburg’s laboring and Adam Eaton’s ominous early exit, after Trea Turner was ejected and Brandon Kintzler gave up a grand slam, a hush enveloped the 10-year-old ballpark. For the third straight day, the Nationals were humbled by a supposedly inferior National League East rival in an 8-2 loss against the New York Mets.

After beginning the season on a four-game winning streak, the Nationals are 4-3 a week into the season. The Mets, their presumed top divisional competition, improved to 5-1. The three-game losing streak was met with shrugs.

“I’d rather be playing good in October and September than in April, to be honest with you,” Eaton said. “We’ve played good in April, and we’ve seen how that ended.”

Still a new season is upon us. And it's only the first week.

Following are some pictures from opening day.

Introducing the Players

Just a Poster or Two of the Major Players

The President's Celebrate Opening Day

Post Game Fireworks