John Olerud Knocks His 2000th Hit

John Olerud Knocks His 2000th Hit

June 16, 2003

So this game begins while I'm at my cousin Little Mickey's high school graduation and actually I should probably call him Mick at this point since he's 18 and 6'7 and growing but old habits die hard and anyway, it sounds like it's a good thing I missed the first inning in any case as Derek Eckstein was hit by a pitch and then Darin Erstad doubled and Eckstein ended up scoring on an error besides, and then an out later and Garrett Anderson singled which scored Erstad and then an out after that and Brad Fullmer singled which scored Anderson and then Fullmer was caught trying to steal which finally ended this miserable inning and the Angels lead it 3-0 as we head to the bottom half where we waste Bret Boone's 2-out infield single.

So second inning and Grampy, whom I'm sitting with in the very front of things, is getting all antsy because he hasn't spotted Mickey yet and Joel Pineiro walked Scott Spiezio to lead things off and then an out later and Bengie Molina walked but they don't score and meanwhile, Grampy has spotted Mickey in the procession and I turn around to say something and he has taken off down the bleachers and is walking pretty much right towards the line faster than I have seen him move in some time and I had a moment of panic that he was going to interrupt the procession and hug Mickey or trip someone with his cane, but luckily he just stood there and waved while the Mariners were meanwhile sitting down in order.

So third inning and Joel gives up a 1 out double to Garrett Anderson, but seems to have stopped walking people and settled down and the Angels fail to score and then so do we even though Jeff Cirillo led off with a walk and went to second on a wild pitch and went to third an out later when Ichiro grounded him over, so moving right along to the fourth, I'm feeling all of my 27 years as I look at the graduating class of 2003 and the whole thing makes me feel very nostalgic and the Angels sit down in order as well they should and then Bret evidently had words with the ump ("I yelled at him. He yelled back at me. Once I got it out of my system, I swung the bat.") before he ripped a big nasty double and went to third on a wild pitch and then Edgar reached on an infield single of all things and that scored Bret and then John "I'm Tying It Up With My 2000th Career Hit!" Olerud TIED IT UP WITH HIS 2000th CAREER HIT by promptly going yard and it is 3-all as we head to the fifth.

"Big Rude's shot pumped me up, pumped us all up." - Bret Boone

A/P Photos

So then Anaheim is down 1-2-3 courtesy of the now-back-to-form Mr. Pineiro and Cam made a nice catch and with 2 outs, Randy Winn singled and went to second on a passed ball and then Bret had an infield hit but we are unable to capitalize on it and off we go to the sixth where Joel 1-2-3's the Angels again, and with 1 out, Mike "I'm Goin Yard!" Cameron GOES YARD to give us a 4-3 lead and an out later, Jeff Cirillo singled but we're done scoring for the moment.

Randy & Mike Head In After A Fine Catch - A/P Photo

So seventh inning and once again Joel takes care of the Angels in order, and then Ben Weber relieved John Lackey and Ichiro led off with a single but then got caught stealing and an out later and Bret singled and then went to second on a wild pitch, but we don't score anybody, so let's just move along to the eighth where with 2 outs Tim Salmon & His Ass that he sticks out into leftfield while he bats, singled and Arthur relieved Joel and somebody ran for Salmon but Artie took care of Garrett Anderson so it didn't really matter and Francisco Rodriguez relieved Weber and John Olerud walked to lead things off and then Mike "I'm Goin Yard Again!" Cameron GOES YARD AGAIN and we take a 6-3 lead as we head to the ninth inning where Artie retires the side in order and we take game 1!