The final game of this three game series, and my final game at Wrigley Field, was another afternoon affair. Predictably, the Pirates scored multiple runs in the first inning of what turned out to be another rout - it wasn't nearly as close as 10-4 makes it look. There was a steady stream of balls sailing into the left field bleachers - or over them - as the Pirates used the long ball to great effect, even Gerrit Cole, the starting pitcher, hit a 2 run HR.
The bright spot would be the Cubs pitcher Jokisch who came in to clear up Travis Wood's 7ER mess in the second inning. Jokisch pitched 4 1/3 innings giving up just 1 run, 4Ks, and didn't walk anybody and got the job done at the plate with two sacrifice bunts.
So we sang Take Me Out To The Ballgame in the middle of the 7th, with the score at 10-2 with the optimistic call from one of the TV announcers who was leading the singing of "let's score 9!". Well, they scored 2 in the bottom of the 7th and that was all she wrote.
This is the 100th year of Wrigley Field ball (although the 2015 schedule that came out today says that next year is ... well they ought to ask the Cubs, because they've been celebrating that all year this year!) Despite its age, the ballpark is in surprisingly good condition. The seats are a bit narrow (for me!) but aren't uncomfortable and you have a great view of the action.
Today, we had a small band performing between innings a couple of times - a banjo, trumpet, trombone and clarinet. The second time, they were right behind my seat - I had the trumpet to one side of my head and the trombone on the other. They were very good. I also saw Tom Ricketts (Cubs owner) again - he was down meeting fans again. I also saw "Woo Woo" - a local celebrity who spent the best part of half an hour signing things and having his photo taken with fans of all ages.
The way that the stadium is open to the elements means you get some lovely sights. When the sun is low, you can see the shadows on the protective netting behind the plate of the people walking around the concourse. My favourite quote has to be of a little girl who was leading her slightly weary-looking grandma who'd done enough walking for the day to their seats, and saying "Not many more steps now, Grandma!" whilst pointing at the steep set of concrete steps up to their seats.
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