Pirates vs Phillies, PNC Park

After the early Cleveland game it was back to Pittsburgh for the first Saturday game of the year.  This was the first time that I had been at two batting practices in one day, it was another beautiful day, and I was excited to do good.

Things started off with Erik, Zackweiss, and myself having a good throwing session in a park across the street from the CF gate as we normally do on Saturdays.  I took a pic of the skyline with Erik catching with Zack.

It was a great warm up session.  When we entered the gates we ran in to look for Easter Eggs and I heard a heads up from a Pirates player and a huge clang nearby.  I got eyes on the ball quick and grabbed it for Ball 1.  Shortly after this another clang and an usher picked it up.  Supposedly the ushers are not allowed to pick up any baseballs nowadays, so I tested the rule as he picked it up right near me.  I put out my glove to him and said can I have it, and he put it in my glove very reluctantly for Ball 2 so I guess maybe ushers wont be collecting baseballs anymore.

Check him out.

Ball 3 was a wild throw by J mac donald, that hit a wall by the foul pole and shot all the way down to me a section away.  Nice throw Jmac.

Ball 4 was another insanely good bounce, its crazy how sometimes you are a magnet for the ball in all ways, and other times you dont exist.  When it comes to good bounces and some luck this was as good as it gets.  This one was a home run srum that bounced away from three other people and rolled out toward me to be picked up in the handicap section.

Ball 5 was a toss up from bullpen pitcher Jared Hughes who obviously seems like a cool guy, looked like he was ecstatic to be in the majors.  I tried to get a pic but he was too far away for a good one by the time I took it.

Ball 6 was a caught home run right at me, with the sun blocked well it was an easy catch, I dont know who hit it.

The catch was made about three rows back from where Evan Meek and Ryan Howard are.  Shortly after this one I got another ball hit right in my reach and I made the catch for Ball 7.

I noticed 3 minutes remained until the Clemente Wall opened and I wanted to test again if the ushers would truly leave the balls to the fans.  When I got in I found Ball 8, then a new usher directed me to a ball in the front row for Ball 9, as I picked that up a ball banged off a seat.  I was in a race for it with a wolf of a man, in an old school Penguins coat, his eyes were wild, but he was too slow from his mountain top to get it, he stays at the top of the wall as his strategy, not good.  I got this one for Ball 10, and the first double digit game of the year for me.

My final ball of the day was a caught home run in the front row of the Clemente Wall for Ball 11.  I couldnt tell who hit it, I was pretty sure it was J Roll but I wasnt positive and I couldnt get a definitive answer from any of these Philly fans that invaded my city.

Day-11

Year-26

Career-1120