Well that was certainly exciting

9 to 4. That is what I was staring at going into the bottom of the 8th inning.

9 to 4. I was getting ready to leave, because who cares if the Storm lose, the tickets don’t cost me much, and the lovely company I was keeping was getting awfully cold.” Just to the end of this inning” I say. I had soured on this bloodletting somewhere in the fifth, but Im not the kind of guy who can really leave before the end of a game, so we stayed.

And damn, am I glad to be that kind of guy.

The beginning of the inning was inauspicious enough. A hit! Hey I like those. Alas, two outs came on the board faster than I remember then happening. I was growing weary of stranding baserunners. But then, a walk. Another hit. Then one more. Then another. All of the sudden its seven to nine and I’m on the edge of my seat, cheering and clap, clap, clapping my hands.

Next up is Allan Dykstra, our DH for the evening. He had displayed some theatrics earlier with a solo shot in the fourth, and with two men on, every one in the crowd was thinking the exact same thing. “Give us another one, Allan”. We were all desperate. We gave up on this game long ago, and now suddenly all of that was extinguished by the Storm’s new-found electricity at the plate.

The at bat seemed like forever. Dykstra is usually very patient at the plate, so seeing him take a few pitches was not out of the ordinary. But christ the time between each pitch seemed like forever.

2-2 and I had a premonition for what happened next. Sitting behind the protective net, I always have trouble tracking the ball through the air. I didn’t know it was out of the park until I caught a final glimpse of it dropping over the fence. The big guy came through.

But it wasnt over. We still had to get through the top of the 9th. Enter Brad Brach, the shut down closer who has been lighting up the Cal League through April. I wont continue dragging it out, but that third strike out made everyone jump from their seats and scream with a fervor usually reserved for what I assume fans of English Football fans are accustomed to.

Probably the best goddamn ballgame I have ever been to.