Baseball rules

Yesterday's Giants-Dodgers game was tied 2-2 when Juan Uribe came to the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning with Travis Ishikawa on first. Uribe swung hard at the first two pitches he saw, missing both by a mile. Not so the third pitch—Uribe hit it hard and deep to left, where it landed in the bleachers amid deliriously happy Giants fans. Final score: Giants 4, Dodgers 2.

Huh? Four runs? It was the bottom (home) half of the inning, and Ishikawa crossing the plate should have been the winning run, making the final score Giants 3, Dodgers 2, right? So what's with that fourth run? Did the Dodgers have three runs, not just two? Nope; box score showed 2-2. Quick! Check the Baseball Field Guide (a present from Pica and Numenius on my becoming bat mitzvah). And there it was, the exception to the rule that when the score is tied in the bottom half of the inning, the inning ends as soon as the run that puts the team ahead crosses the plate. Except when the game ends with a winning home run—aka a "walk-off." Then all of the runners ahead of the home-run hitter, and the hitter, himself, score. Thus, Giants 4, Dodgers 2.

There's always something new for me to learn about baseball, and the win made the learning sweet. Baseball rules!

Good teams are hard to beat

And whatever one may think of the Dodgers (and as a Giants fan, my opinion should be self-evident), it's undeniable that they are a damned good team. Every single man in tonight's lineup can hurt you, and most of them did, including the pitcher, who has so far not only held us to one run on three hits but got a hit of his own. First in hitting, second in pitching, third in defense in the National League . . . let's face it, what other team deserves to win the pennant? Certainly not the Giants, love them though I do, fiercely and happily. Terrific potential, plenty of youthful energy and joie de vivre, arguably the two best pitchers in the Majors, but the cohesion isn't there yet. Next year, maybe; almost certainly. But for now, it's good just to see these surprising kids play. But a 9-1 loss is tough to watch, especially to the Dodgers.

More buckaroo pix

A few more images from my visit with Heather . . .

Living room:

Tiny cowboy boots:

I had a Hopalong Cassidy thermos and lunchbox when I was 8 years old:

Bathroom:

I think this is my favorite—a teeny-tiny cowboy shirt.

Baseball, buckaroos, ferry boats and friends

A great two days in the Bay Area. Two Giants games! I went to Friday night's game with Heather, whom I met back in May on BART on the way to another game. After exchanging numerous e-mails these past few months, we finally spent some "face time" together, talking baseball, learning a bit about each other's lives. (In addition to baseball in general and the Giants in particular, Heather's two big passions are cowboys and gardening; her landscaping business is called "Buckaroo Gardening." She has tons of cowboy-obelia; check out this lamp . . .

We had a great time at the game, the only downside being the Giants' meltdown in the 8th inning, leading to a loss. Should have known something weird would happen with a moon like this one . . .


Saturday, another game, this one with Pica and Numenius, and this time got a win. Waiting for the ferry to take us back to Vallejo and home, ran into John and Jim, two friends with whom I went to a Giants game years ago, back in Candlestick days; that day, we'd taken the ferry from Jack London Square. Stood out on deck with them, in the wind and the salt spray, til we arrived in Vallejo.

Gathering my gear back downstairs and about to disembark, a woman approached me. "Are you Barbara? I'm Wendy Hammond." Wendy Hammond?! Holy cow. Wendy and I worked together a good 35 years ago in Shields Library, and I probably haven't seen her in 30 of those years. Funny thing is, I was looking for her on Facebook not a week ago. True story, cross my heart. I have no idea how these things happen, but that they do is certain sure.

Good friends, good baseball, good times, good memories. I feel pretty darned lucky.