They Almost Killed Me, But They Got the Job Done

They Almost Killed Me,

But They Got the Job Done

April 20, 2003

"Coming out of this weekend, I think we showed character. The Angels are the World Series champs, and they are showing they are for real. But I think we showed some things, too. We are good, and we are also for real. The Angels know now this is going to be a battle all season." - Bret Boone

So this day began with me having to get up early and drive up to see The Nephews at my sister's house and I got there by nine, but they had already found every last Easter egg at that point and Casey, still clad in his Spiderman pajamas, was already on a candy high and so I gave them their Easter presents which were a set of bug books for Casey and a solar system mobile building set for Dylan and little Spiderman boxes full of Hershey Kisses for each of them because I'm the best aunt ever.

So after last night's game I'm still not feeling very well because truly, that game SUCKED SO HARD and anyway, things begin sucking right away as we're down in order and then with 2 outs, Tim "Check Out My Ass, It's All the Way Out In Leftfield!" Salmon singled and then Garrett "Check Out My Head, It Doesn't Fit In My Batting Helmet!" Anderson knocked one out and the Angels take a 2-0 lead.

So second inning and with 2 outs, Greg Colbrunn walked, and then went to second on a passed ball and then Willie Bloomquist reached on an infield single and with runners at the corners, Jeff Cirillo gets called out on interference and we don't score and an out, a single and a double play later, Anaheim doesn't either.

So third inning, still trailing 2-0, and Dan "I'm Goin Yard!" Wilson GOES YARD to lead things off and then Ichiro doubled and Randy Winn sacrificed him to third and then Bret walked and then John Olerud grounded out and that scored Ichiro and we have a tie game and then stupid Jarrod Washburn hit Mike Cameron with a pitch only we don't score any more but neither does Anaheim because all they do is waste Eckstein's walk.

So fourth inning and Bloomie leads off with a single and heads to second after tagging on a fly out from Cirillo but that was as exciting as it got, although it's still more exciting than Big Head leading off with a single, because he didn't get past first base after Ryan Franklin retired the next 3 batters no problem.

Fifth inning and with 1 out, Bret "I'm Goin Yard!" Boone GOES YARD and we take the lead 3-2 and then Ryan retires the side in order, so sixth inning and we waste Jeff's 2-out single and then Anaheim wastes Speizio's lead off single which makes me very happy.

Seventh inning and Ichiro leads off with a double and then Randy sacrificed him to third and then they intentionally walked Bret to get to JOHN OLERUD who rewarded them with a single that scored Ichiro and then Donnelly relieved Washburn and an out later and Edgar came in to hit for Colbrunn and he walked but we don't score any more and Casey comes bursting in and is all "I NEED A JAYBEAN!" which is Casey-speak that he needs a jellybean so I give him one from this package that he brought me and everyone is meanwhile helping my sister clean out her garage except me who has been napping and watching baseball all day because the only reason I go outside is for baseball, and there are generally bugs and spiders in garages which I don't at all do, and so I give Casey another jellybean and he heads back outside to play and Anaheim wastes Brad Fullmer's lead off double.

So eighth inning, 4-2 Seattle and Rodriguez relieved Donnelly and Cirillo led off with a walk and then Dan sacrificed him to second and an out later and Randy Winn singled which scored Jeff but then Randy got tagged out trying to advance to second and we lead it 5-2 heading into the bottom half and then all hell breaks loose as Jeff Nelson comes in to relieve Ryan, and Nellie, NOT AT ALL pitching like himself gives up 3 back to back singles which cuts our lead to 5-3 and then Arthur relieved Jeff, and with 2 on and nobody out... Big Head singled but Ramirez, in to run for Salmon, ended up out at second because he couldn't get back to the bag in time and then Artie, not at all pitching like himself either, walks Troy Glaus to load the bases and then Brad Fullmer struck out and then... Shawn Wooten... singled... and we have... a tie game and I have a small stroke and began swearing vehemently and my sister, who somehow HEARD me all the way from the garage starts yelling "HEY!" and The Nephews were playing OUTSIDE so it wasn't like they could hear me and how was I supposed to know that she had demon hearing and so I decide to take my leave at this time because I really AM not feeling very well and so I hug The Nephews goodbye and wave to Paula and Mom and Homer and hop in my car to leave after Homer takes Casey off the hood of it since he was climbing on it, busy little man that he is.

So I turn on the radio in my car and Artie had just walked Eric Owens and so Shiggy came in to relieve him and got the next out and we head off to the ninth and Troy Percival comes in for Rodriguez and I'm all stressed out because I SO CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO HANDLE another EXCRUCIATING game like last night's and just like Bret knew this, he singled to lead things off and NO WAIT it's a double!!! YES!!! So then John Olerud singled and scored Bret and John went to second on a throwing error and then Mike Cameron flew out and John tagged and went to third and THEN HE SCORED ADVANCING ON THE THROW!!! YES!!! 7-5 Seattle!!! So then Edgar walked and Mac came in to run for him and stole second and Bloomie was intentionally walked but we settle for the two runs and head to the bottom half.

So Kazu relieved Shiggy and Eckstein doubled to lead things off and luckily I have just pulled into my driveway at this point because I suffered a MASSIVE CORONARY at that and then Eckstein went to third on a passed ball and I get bitched out by Brutus who is waiting for me at the door and he is all pissed off that he got left outside all day and then Speizio singled and scored Eckstein and I run inside and turn on the TV and start swearing some more as it is now 7-6 Seattle and 2 BLISSFUL outs later and Troy Glaus singled and Brad Fullmer is up and you can totally hear the stupid sound system playing "WE WILL, WE WILL ROCK YOU!" and all I can say to that is "YOU CAN, YOU CAN BITE ME!" and Homer calls and neither one of us can look and it's a full count and I'm making Homer watch the TV at my sister's and tell me what's happening because I had to shut it off at my house and he is all triumphantly yelling "STRIKE THREE!" and I was SO RELIEVED I almost fainted and I really wish Anaheim would get over that stupid Rally Monkey thing already.