Date: Saturday, 5/24/08
Time: 7:05 PM (ET)
Time of Game: 4:21.
Time: 7:05 PM (ET)
Time of Game: 4:21.
Attendance: 29,929.
Weather: 66° F, Wind 10mph out to Rightfield, Cloudy, No Precipitation.
Winner: PIT, 5-4
Current home team win streak after this game: 9-2
Distance traveled: 4098.98 mi
Comments: The first ballgame that went into extra innings. Both teams fought this one out to the end, burning through pitchers and pinch hitting batters in crucial situations throughout the four-plus-hour contest. I'm glad I stayed through the end. It definitely made me feel like a purist, but honestly, if a game goes past the 17th or something, I do not think that I will be so accommodating. Hats off to Jason Bay for his incredible play in each of
the three games that I've seen the Pirates play on this trip. He ended the game in the bottom of the 14th inning with a walk off double, and then proceeded to do it the next night as well. Aside from the game, one of the most memorable things about this one was how we sang "Take me out to the ballgame" a SECOND time during the 14th inning stretch. Hilarious!
A great thanks to Michelle from the Pirates organization for the tickets. It was such an astounding gift. The seats were incredible, the park was incredible, and the view and the game were both... well you get the point. Your contributions make this trip more bearable and unforgettable. Thanks so much for your support.
The one-hundred level seats are the way to watch a ballgame, and thanks to Michelle, I got to experience this p
ark the right way. PNC is a great park, sitting right on the Allegheny River. And how apropos that it looks out on the Roberto Clemente Bridge and the gorgeous bright lights and buildings of downtown Pittsburgh. The park is small and intimate and every seat is a great one. At 38,127 seats the ballpark is the second smallest in the majors, second only to Fenway, you could tell immediately because 29,929 felt like the place was practically full. The seats are close to the action enough that everyone feels like they are part of the game.
All in all, PNC may live up to its moniker: "The best ballpark in America." There are many more ballparks to go, but this one has definitely made a strong showing in m
y book. The openness, the intimacy, and the great fan experience. On a good night like this one, what a beautiful place to watch a game.
Pittsburgh itself is a unique place. Two miles outside of the city, driving in from the north along I-279, I remember seeing nothing but huge hills, giants hulking over the road timidly winding between each so as not to wake them. Dense forest occluded any sight of suburban sprawl, creating an astounding surprise as I turned the corner and descended the last little bit into the river valley and into the magnificent sight of the Pittsburgh skyline, a breathtaking sight to be sure.
The city is situated in a ri
ver valley where three rivers come together: (1) the Ohio River, (2) the Allegheny River, (3) and the Monongahela River. The main downtown area sits between the Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers, and beautiful bridges connect this middle "peninsula" with the "North Side" and "South Side" and buildings ride up the hills surrounding the entire area. I drove through mountains to leave downtown and travel to the south hills to stay with my Uncle's good friend Chandran.
Pittsburgh was one of the last placed I found a place to stay. My uncle, while on my way to Detroit, called for an update, and upon learning that I was making my way through the city, immediately implored me to stay with his friend. His wife was in India at the moment and I was happy to provide some company, and he was happy to provide a comfortable and relaxing environment for me to recoup from my latest week of "get-up-and-go" traveling. The week was pretty ambitious:
20-May-08 Tuesday Chicago , IL CLE @ CWS 7:11pm
21-May-08 Wednesday Detroit , MI SEA @ DET 7:07pm
22-May-08 Thursday Toronto , ON LAA @ TOR 7:07pm
23-May-08 Friday Cleveland , OH TEX @ CLE 7:05pm
24-May-08 Saturday Pittsburgh , PA CHC @ PIT 7:05pm
I updated the blog, cooked for my host, and got to eat at the Original Hot Dog Shops Inc. store. The french fries at the "O," as its affectionately known, are ridiculous. The "small" french fries fill up a large take-out bag from McDonalds, providing extra meals of their delicious fresh cut fries.
Winner: PIT, 5-4
Current home team win streak after this game: 9-2
Distance traveled: 4098.98 mi
Comments: The first ballgame that went into extra innings. Both teams fought this one out to the end, burning through pitchers and pinch hitting batters in crucial situations throughout the four-plus-hour contest. I'm glad I stayed through the end. It definitely made me feel like a purist, but honestly, if a game goes past the 17th or something, I do not think that I will be so accommodating. Hats off to Jason Bay for his incredible play in each of
the three games that I've seen the Pirates play on this trip. He ended the game in the bottom of the 14th inning with a walk off double, and then proceeded to do it the next night as well. Aside from the game, one of the most memorable things about this one was how we sang "Take me out to the ballgame" a SECOND time during the 14th inning stretch. Hilarious!A great thanks to Michelle from the Pirates organization for the tickets. It was such an astounding gift. The seats were incredible, the park was incredible, and the view and the game were both... well you get the point. Your contributions make this trip more bearable and unforgettable. Thanks so much for your support.
The one-hundred level seats are the way to watch a ballgame, and thanks to Michelle, I got to experience this p
ark the right way. PNC is a great park, sitting right on the Allegheny River. And how apropos that it looks out on the Roberto Clemente Bridge and the gorgeous bright lights and buildings of downtown Pittsburgh. The park is small and intimate and every seat is a great one. At 38,127 seats the ballpark is the second smallest in the majors, second only to Fenway, you could tell immediately because 29,929 felt like the place was practically full. The seats are close to the action enough that everyone feels like they are part of the game.All in all, PNC may live up to its moniker: "The best ballpark in America." There are many more ballparks to go, but this one has definitely made a strong showing in m
y book. The openness, the intimacy, and the great fan experience. On a good night like this one, what a beautiful place to watch a game.Pittsburgh itself is a unique place. Two miles outside of the city, driving in from the north along I-279, I remember seeing nothing but huge hills, giants hulking over the road timidly winding between each so as not to wake them. Dense forest occluded any sight of suburban sprawl, creating an astounding surprise as I turned the corner and descended the last little bit into the river valley and into the magnificent sight of the Pittsburgh skyline, a breathtaking sight to be sure.
The city is situated in a ri
ver valley where three rivers come together: (1) the Ohio River, (2) the Allegheny River, (3) and the Monongahela River. The main downtown area sits between the Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers, and beautiful bridges connect this middle "peninsula" with the "North Side" and "South Side" and buildings ride up the hills surrounding the entire area. I drove through mountains to leave downtown and travel to the south hills to stay with my Uncle's good friend Chandran.Pittsburgh was one of the last placed I found a place to stay. My uncle, while on my way to Detroit, called for an update, and upon learning that I was making my way through the city, immediately implored me to stay with his friend. His wife was in India at the moment and I was happy to provide some company, and he was happy to provide a comfortable and relaxing environment for me to recoup from my latest week of "get-up-and-go" traveling. The week was pretty ambitious:
20-May-08 Tuesday Chicago , IL CLE @ CWS 7:11pm
21-May-08 Wednesday Detroit , MI SEA @ DET 7:07pm
22-May-08 Thursday Toronto , ON LAA @ TOR 7:07pm
23-May-08 Friday Cleveland , OH TEX @ CLE 7:05pm
24-May-08 Saturday Pittsburgh , PA CHC @ PIT 7:05pm
I updated the blog, cooked for my host, and got to eat at the Original Hot Dog Shops Inc. store. The french fries at the "O," as its affectionately known, are ridiculous. The "small" french fries fill up a large take-out bag from McDonalds, providing extra meals of their delicious fresh cut fries.
2 comments:
you should make a google map of your trip. the image on the right is un-readable.
good seeing you earlier this week. good luck!
Hey have you seen this?
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/06/08/travel/20080608_BALLPARK_GRAPHIC.html?8dpc#
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