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« on: October 10, 2005, 08:33:50 pm »
Which part? Let's see:
The part where at 5pm Saturday my girlfriend calls and says, "Hey I have 2 extra tickets for $40 each to the game tomorrow and you've got first dibs, you interested?" Of COURSE I'M INTERESTED! "Where, may I ask, are the seats?" "Section 152, Row 12, seats 1 & 2." For.$40.Each. SWEET!!!
Ok, fast forward to the part where we are down 5-1, wait, no, make that 6-1 after Wandy gives up the solo HR to McCann in the 8th and a guy gets up to leave (we had to get up a buhzillion freakin times for these people since we were the end seats). Anyways, this guy is leaving and I say to him "Hey, you are going to miss a great comeback". My friends laugh at my naivete', because SURELY we cannot come back from a 5 run deficit to beat these Braves. I say to them, "you'll see".
Now comes the part where Hudson starts 8th inning. I have been watching the pitch count board that is directly above my head and to the left. Please, guys, work the count. Surely you can get to their bullpen, but you have to get Hudson out of there. Brad Ausmus working the count. He WALKS! Bruntlett gets on....FINALLY! A pitching change. Hudson is done! Farnsworth is in. Biggio grounds into a force out. Darn. Umps making calls left and right that the Braves were pulled off the bag. I cannot tell if they are good calls or not from straight down the right field line, but I am on my feet rooting for the impossible anyway. Now the part where Luke Scott patiently takes the walk Farnsworth was willing to give him with Berkman on deck. I loved that part.
Now comes the part that I believe has torn something open in my throat, it may be bleeding, but I'm feeling no pain. BERKMAN!!!
This is the part that I am thinking Damn Wandy, that still leaves us down by one. Still only one out, can MoBerg make it B2B? No, he K's. Lamb, you game? Flyout. But the crowd is back into it and you can tell they believe.
Then the part where Qualls gets em out with the help of a double play and we go to the bottom of the 9th. Lane, Viz, and Ausmus due. Come on, Lane, I yell, BE the X-Factor! Uh oh. Groundout. Viz K. I tell my husband it can't end like THIS. Not after Berkman's grand slam got us this close. No way. My friend's husband sees Ausmus stroll into the box. He's pointing and telling me in no uncertain terms "THIS IS A MANAGERIAL MISTAKE, YOU CANNOT LET AUSMUS BAT HERE". I tell him Garner has no one left with any power on the bench. He says what about Bagwell? I say but Bagwell's shoulder's just not strong enough - he cannot hit it out. And he says "AND AUSMUS CAN?". I say emphatically Well, he has before! Then BAM! NO FREAKING WAY. My favorite part so far! BRAD AUSMUS. I smile at Brad's big F YOU to Barzilla. The BBG's REALLY DO CARE!
10th - The part where we were screaming our heads off after Berkman's double. Intentional pass to MoBerg. Is it possible? A cinderella story by our very own Bagwell. But it was not to be.
11th & 12th - Here Comes The Pain. The part where Brad F'n Lidge is in the game, and even though they put on a couple or three runners and stole a few bags, I knew OUR closer would get the job done. He did not disappoint.
13th-15th - OHMYGOD! The part where Dan Wheeler comes in and shows Bobby Cox what a REAL bullpen is made of. 3 innings, 55! pitches, and a ton of heart. I love this man.
Bottom 15 - This is the part where Roger Clemens makes his way downfield to the dugout from the bullpen. Biggio walks. Clemens comes in to PH for Wheels. I am thinking, HOLY CRAP, WHAT IF CLEMENS HITS A WALKOFF HOMERUN??? My husband says no, I'm sure he will just sacrifice. D'oh! He does just that and gives MoBerg another crack and putting this one in the win column for the good guys, but he hits into a double play and we go to the 16th.
16th-18th - This is the part where Clemens forgets about his sore back and his ailing hammy. This is the part where Clemens forgets that he JUST pitched Thursday in our game 2 loss to these very Atlanta Braves. TThis IS the part where Clemens remembers McCann beating him with a three run homer in said game. This is the part where Clemens remembers last year's game 7 of the NLCS. This is the part where Clemens remembers that this year is OUR year. Save a double by Jordan and a throwing error by Viz to our newly minted 1st baseman RAUL CHAVEZ, Clemens dominates this Braves lineup and this is the part where I am thinking is C'mon Astros, get this man the win! This was the part where the 43-year-old Clemens threw 44 pitches in his first relief appearance in 21 years. This is the part where I feel there is no going back. And I don't just mean to Atlanta for game 5. We HAVE to win this game. My friends are asking me if Pettitte will pitch next. I say no, Pettitte is pitching Wednesday.
Bottom 18 - This is the part where Clemens comes up to lead off. There is no one to pinch hit except for Roy O or Pettitte. Clemens is swinging for the downs, but comes up empty and strikes out. Burke is up. 2-0 count. Now here is the part that is Fuckin' HUGE. Burke sends the next pitch into the Crawford boxes. This is the part we have been waiting 18 record setting innings to finally see. This is the part where the fans and the team have forgotten how exhausted they all are and are jumping and screaming and hugging and yelling! This is the part where we send the Braves home and we get our NLCS rematch with the Cards, this time with the luxury of setting up our rotation. This is the part that is the best part of all - Houston Astros postseason baseball.
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