Royalty Tours USA

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Royalty w/o 4/23 in review

Royal View from Section 420B Row 7 at Yankee Stadium
Since the Mets and Giants got rained out Sunday afternoon, they were forced to play a single admission old school doubleheader Monday starting at 4:10PM.

Since I had to work until 5:30PM, I couldn't get to Citi Field in time to see an official game so I caught the last few innings of the first game that the Mets lost, 6-1.

There was a very sparse gathering for the twin bill. With that being said, I still knew a number of people who were sitting in the area where the King and I sit. Our friends, Frank Anichiarico and Al Linderman were among them. They both like the Giants so they got to take advantage of the opportunity to see two games for the price of one like the good old days. Our pal Mike Jaffee was also in the building. He usually comes to the midweek afternoon games which I'm not able to attend because of work. With that being said, it was nice to see him again.

In addition, Vincent Ascanio and his father Ralph were present and accounted for.

It was a brutally cold night and the Mets play on the field made it feel even worse as they proceeded to lose the second game of the double dip by a score of 7-2. They fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and they couldn't catch up the rest of the night.

Tuesday night I went back to Citi Field as the Mets welcomed back former Met shortstop Jose Reyes who signed to play with the Miami Marlins as a free agent in the off season. The Marlins were visiting for the first time this season.

The Mets showed class as they gave him a video tribute before the game. The Met fans on the other hand, greeted him with a serenade of boos when he came up to lead off the game. The last game he played as a Met didn't sit well in the eyes of many Met fans and it showed. He got a hit and he left the game to preserve his batting title. Now he's playing for the enemy.

Reyes hit a long fly ball that center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis snagged at the wall for the first out of the game. He proceeded to go hit less the rest of the night in his four at bats which really pleased the crowd.

The Mets went on to beat the Marlins, 2-1 as Lucas Duda broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning. Lost in the shuffle were the wasted pitching efforts by the Marlins' Josh Johnson who pitched well for six and two thirds innings as he walked one and struck out nine and Johan Santana of the Mets who matched him as he walked two and fanned eleven batters over his six and two thirds innings of work. The Mets failed to hold their 1-0 lead. As a result, Santana got a no decision as did Josh Johnson.

Wednesday night after work I went back to Citi Field for more. This time Jose Reyes after going hit less in three more at bats finally got a hit against his former team in his last at bat as he delivered a single. The Mets wound up getting the last laugh as they beat the Marlins again, 5-1.

Thursday night after work I went home to rest up and recharge the batteries.

Friday night after work I went up to the Bronx as the Detroit Tigers were making their only visit to the Stadium to play the Yankees. The last time the Tigers came to Yankee Stadium they ended the Yankees' season prematurely in early October.

With Justin Verlander starting for the Tigers, it looked like the Tigers would pick up where they left off. He left the game with a 6-5 lead after six innings but the Tiger bullpen sprung a leak as they blew the lead and the game in the eighth and ninth innings as the Yankees emerged victorious, 7-6.

Saturday afternoon I went back to the Bronx to see game two of the series.

The Tigers rebounded to even the series at a game a piece as rookie Drew Smyly pitched well for six plus innings as he picked up his first Major League win. He allowed a run on two hits as the Tigers beat the Yankees, 7-5. Freddy Garcia of the Yankees got hit hard as the Tigers knocked him out of the game in the second inning. The Yankees stormed back in the ninth inning against Tiger closer Jose Valverde who needed the work but they fell short as Eric Chavez flew out to the warning track in right field to end the game with the tying run on base.

After the game, the King and I were joined by our friend Frank Anichiarico as we went to Donovan's Pub for dinner. We all enjoyed our meals and drinks. As for me, I had a pair of pork chops that were to die for. It was a pleasant surprise that they were listed on the specials that night. I lucked out big time.

Sunday afternoon the King and I returned to Yankee Stadium for the rubber match between the Yankees and the Tigers.

CC Sabathia tamed the Tigers for eight innings as the Yankees won the series behind their ace by a score of 6-2. The Tigers hung around for six innings as they trailed by a run 3-2. The Yankees tacked on some insurance runs in the seventh inning and they added another one in the eighth which cost their closer Mariano Rivera a save opportunity. Instead David Robertson came on to pitch the ninth inning and he retired the Tigers 1, 2, 3 to preserve the win for the Yankees.

With that being said, another week of baseball is in the books.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

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