33 Dollar Tickets

For the first time in my life, I purchased a Nationals ticket valued at greater than $15 this week. On Thursday night, I got to the new ballpark next to the Anacostia River a few minutes before the first pitch. The ticket line was pretty slow and upon reaching the front of the line, the gentleman behind the window explained that the cheapest tickets left in the house were in the over-priced $33 rightfield pavilion. After a long day of training at work, I needed my baseball fix, so, out came the credit card and 2 front-row tickets jumped into my possession.

By the time we reached our seats, the Nats had built a 2-0 lead on the visiting Cardinals. Maybe I've discovered the problem. The Nats are a get-what-you-pay-for operation. All these years I've been paying 5 bucks for tickets/accepting free seats and I've endured lots of bad baseball. (In fairness, there have been some dandies too. Like the night that RFK shook in 2005 as the Nats smacked Pedro Martinez around and chants of "Who's Your Daddy?" rang out from the upper deck.) But- i can't argue with facts: I shelled out for more expensive seats and the Nats offense received a 1.21 giga-watt shot of electricity.

Before the oppressive heat has even begun to cause geysers of perspiration to erupt all over my body, the Nationals bats have banged out 7 runs. After a Troy Glaus homerun in the 4th inning, The Nats answer right back with a run in the bottom of the inning to give the hosts a 8-3 lead. Get what you pay for indeed!

And then, as Sublime would sing, THATS WHEN THINGS GOT OUT OF CONTROL!

The Cardinals roared to life. The Nationals' bats cooled off. Still, the lead started at 8-1. At worst, i opined, the Cards will make things interesting. Wrong. Relief pitcher Mark Worrell tattooed a 3-2 pitch from Nationals hurler Tim Redding into the left field bleachers for a 3-run homer. Suddenly an 8-1 blowout had turned into an 8-6 contest.

In the bottom of the 6th, the home team loaded the bases with 1 out and failed to score. I wonder aloud if there is a noticeably lower winning percentage for teams which at some point in a game strand the bases loaded. Somewhere in the great heights of the blogosphere, someone must keep an eye on these things.

After a ringing double by Brendan Ryan with 1 out in the top of the 9th, Tony LaRussa electrified the Cardinal partisans by summoning Albert Pujols to pinch hit. Nationals temp-closer Jon Rauch struck the mighty Cardinals slugger out looking. 2 outs. I stood up in my seat. Oops. Skip Schumacher laced a triple off of the very top of the wall in left centerfield. Suddenly things were tense. An Adam Kennedy roller up the middle eluded the outstretched glove of Christian Guzman and the game was tied.

Going into extra innings, the Cardinals owned the momentum and wasted no time in continuing their rise from what a few innings ago seemed like a cavernous grave. Joe Mather fouled off a half dozen pitches with 2 out in the 10th before blasting a 3-2 fastball into the left field stands. For the first time all night, St Louis has the lead.

Enter Ryan Franklin. Christian Guzman greeted the reliever rudely with a sharp single to center. Then, on a 2-2 pitch, the previously homerless Elijah Dukes ended both his season long draught and the ballgame with a mammoth blast to centerfield. Nats win 10-9.

Maybe there was something to that get-what-you-pay-for idea.