Postgame Thoughts (July 27, 2011)

Keep your eyes on that bank of lights to the right of the scoreboard

Which is odder, that the bank of lights went out or that no one noticed that it went out?

Clinton 5, Wisconsin 3
Boxscore | Game Story

• Sorry, folks. This is going to be short. The internet at the hotel is terrible & no guarantee of getting online tonight
• I am over at the Village Inn (Somewhere between Steak & Shake and Denny’s there is Village Inn)
• But, there’s food, internet, and most importantly water
• Because the heat index at the start of the game was 105…Seriously.
• The ball was flying out for Clinton as they hit three homers in the first five innings.
• BUT, in the fourth I really thought Mike Walker got into one for a three run homer. The wind shifted a bit and knocked that ball dead on the track.
• I’ll need to check this for tomorrow’s game notes because it is a weird, interesting fact that one of the players pointed out to me last Thursday in Lansing.
• He thought the Rattlers hadn’t won a game after a scheduled off day this season.  If true, that streak was extended tonight.
• Details tomorrow.
• Once again, the Rattlers didn’t give up.  Down 5-1 they chipped away and got to the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth.
• Down 5-3 with two outs and two strikes, TJ Mittlestaedt launched a deep drive down the right field line…but foul…just missing the game tying home run.  Dang.
• Alan Williams with two perfect innings: Striking out the side in order in the 7th and 3 ground outs in the 8th.
• How about Eric Marzec tonight in Nashville.  2IP, H, 0R, BB, 0K.  A pretty nice PCL debut.
• Interesting discussion with the official scorer after the game.  Clinton wanted Shaw’s RBI single in the 5th inning changed to an E-6.
• Interesting because Shaw’s grounder was deflected by the pitcher.  While the shortstop got to the ball, he bobbled it and Shaw reached.  I had it as a single all the way because I did not think there was anyway that Shaw does not beat that play out.
• Plus, the deflection wasn’t on an easy grounder back to the mound.  It was a hard grounder that the pitcher somehow got a piece of to deflect it. The reason for lobbying for the E6 is to take away an earned run from Reed’s line.
• The official scorer stood his ground and Shaw keeps the single and the RBI.
• There WAS a scoring change that affected the hit and error column on Wednesday.
• An E5 on Mike Walker in the second inning was changed to a single for Anthony Phillips.  So, seven hits for the LumberKings on the night instead of six.
• Truth be told, it was a pretty tough error on Walker.
• We have been treated to a pretty decent lightning and wind show since leaving the ballpark.  There’s a storm coming.
• Lastly, I didn’t even notice that bank of lights go out during the game.  I just happened to notice them warming back up again after a fly ball to left-center.  Weird.