So going into today’s game I was coming off the best game I have had the whole year. So I was hoping for a repeat performance, but figured that it might be a little crowded due to the fact that the Reds had a ceremony for the anniversary of the first night game. So I wanted to get down to the ballpark a little early and try to snag a few balls early before the crowd got there. I got to the Right Field gate around 5:10, a good thirty minuets before the gates opened. I was the first in line. I figured I would try something new this game. And that was act like a Pirates fan. Below is a Picture of me trying to look like a Pirates fan.

 When I got into the stadium I went right to the left field stands where their was only a handful of people there. A few seconds after that I snagged my 1st ball when Andrew McCutchen  hit a bullet that hit a seat a few rows in front of me, I walked down and picked it up with out any threat of another person. I then position myself in the middle of the seats about 6 rows up when McCutchen hit another ball right to me; I made the easy catch for ball #2.

 

After snagging that ball I moved over to Left Center by the reds bullpen, I was in that spot for maybe 30 seconds when Steve Pearce blasted one over my head a few rows back, I hopped a row of seats to grab ball # 3. So I was off to a good start so I stayed put in left field rather then try my luck in right. Balls 4 and 5 came off the bat of Lastings Milledge back to back.

 

Since I was decked out in my Pirates hat that I had won when I was at PNC Park, I figured I would try to get some players to toss me a few balls. After standing in the front row for about 5 min and watching the players just catch the balls and throw them back I about gave up on the whole getting a ball tossed to me. So I waited a little longer, everyone was yelling “Hey Mister Can I have a ball.” Sorry…… but that’s not going to work.  So when a ball was hit deep to the wall with Javier Lopez making the catch. I said “Hey Javier what do you think about them Virginia Cavaliers.” He turned around and laughed and tossed me ball #6.  Javier pitched at The University of Virginia.

                                                         

 

 

I headed back about 6 rows and figured I would camp out their for the next couple of batters.  Well it paid off when Delwyn Young hit one right towards me. At first I had a beat on it, but I lost it in the sun. So I ducked down and turned my back to field and covered my head with my mitt. Just as I thought, the ball hit a seat and bounced right back towards me for ball # 7. ( Below is a Picture of my Delwyn Young signed ball and Steve Pearce signed hat)

So after snagging that ball I got double digits in mind. “3 more to go.”  Ball # 8 came from Ryan Doumit. Ball # 9 was another one hit by D. Young, Which I would later get him to sign.  ONE MORE BALL TO GO is all I could think of. As I was putting my last ball into my bag Young hit another one towards me , but it sailed over my head and hit this guy right in the hands. I thought he had it but it hit his hands and landed right in mine for ball # 10. I caught the ball and took a quick look at it and made sure it wasn’t in Perfect Condition or had anything wrote on it. I then tossed it up to that guy that it hit his hands. I told him ” man that one was yours.”

 

Game

 

Pittsburgh   5       

Cincinnati   7       Final

 

W: Harang          (3-5)

L:  Burres           (2-2)

 

Attn: 13,385

 

My Game Stats

 

10 Balls (9 Caught, 1 Tossed, 0 Found)

 

2   Autographs (Young, Pearce,)

 

1 Stadium (Great American)

 

( Todays balls are below, 9 are pictured 1 was gave away ) 

3 of them had the word ” PRACTICE” stamped on it

 

My Season Stats

 

10        Games

 

50       Balls

 

3     Stadiums        (GABP, PNC Park, Progressive)

 

10   Autographs      (Phillips x2, Dickerson, Rolen, Gomes, Bruce, Stubbs, Hanigan

                                                  ( Young, Pearce )

 

* 10 Straight Games with at least one ball

 

The Battle of Ohio….  On the way up to Cleveland I didn’t think that I was going to get a chance to see batting practice due to the bad weather that was suppose to come. We got to Cleveland around 11:00am and made it to the 11:30am tour. The tour was pretty cool, we basically did the and saw the same thing we did in Pittsburgh. But it’s always cool to walk on a MLB field so I recommend going on a tour if you already haven’t.

 

Below is a picture of me in one of the club suits … And in the background they are taking the tarp off.

After that we went a few more places, but after all we ended up in the visitor’s bullpen and onto the field. (Below is a picture of me  on the field)

Me in the Visitors Dugout

The Indians Batting Cages

GAME

 

After the tour I left and came back, I got to Gate C around 4:00pm with the gate opening up at 4:30. When I got there, their were already a few people in line. Once inside I ran down to the right field seats and looked for Easter Eggs only to fine NOTHING…  But it was not long after that when I snagged my first ball. Shin-Soo Choo hit a ball that bounce off the top of the wall and came right at me. That was ball # 1 after that I kind of went on a dry streak, until I got Indians Chris Perez to throw me ball #2.  Not five minutes later I got balls 3 and 4 tossed to me from Jonny Gomes

 

This was what it looked liked when I got to the stands. ( below)

 

 

Ball #5 was a ball hit by Jay Bruce. Ball # 6, 7 were found down the first baseline after the rest of the stadium was open at 6:00

 

With about 5 min left in batting practice I got Nick Masset to toss me ball #11 that was my final ball of the day. So I have to say Progressive Field was pretty good to me today. I was planning on coming to tomorrow’s game but I won’t be able to make it. But I will be back to Progressive for a few more games this year.

 

During the game I spent some time down both first and third base lines waiting for some foul balls. After 6 innings of no balls close I headed over to the Toyota Home Run Deck in left field where I spent the rest of the game (Below)
 

 

Game

 

Cincinnati   6     ( 25-18)  

Cleveland   4     ( 15-26)

 

W: Cueto          (4-1)

L:  Carmona     (4-2)

 

Attn: 25, 531

 

My Game Stats

 

11 Balls (4 Caught, 4 Tossed, 3 Found)

 

2   Autographs (Stubbs, Bruce)

 

1 Stadium  ( Progressive Field )

 

Below are my balls from the day … The two balls at the bottom are the autographed balls from Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs

 
 

 

My Season Stats

 

9        Games

 

40       Balls

 

3     Stadiums        (GABP, PNC Park, Progressive)

 

8   Autographs      (Phillips x2, Dickerson, Rolen, Gomes, Bruce, Stubbs, Hanigan

 

* 9 Straight Games with at least one ball

 

 

It took me about 5 hours to get to Pittsburgh after stopping a few times for gas and stuff. My fellow Hawker (Blyberg) and my girlfriend Amanda came along with me. By the time we got into the city it was 11:30am, and because I had never been there before I didn’t no the layout of the city and had no clue where to go to park. After finding a place to park it was almost 11:50am and the tour of the ballpark started at Noon. We made it to the ballpark just on time. Below is a picture of my first view of the ballpark

 

 

Once inside this was the view I got from the left field stands……

 

 

 

And turn to the left………

 

 

 

The tour guy told us that they modeled there Press Box after the one in Wrigley. I thought that was pretty cool. But anyways it was very nice and had a awesome view of the field and the city. Below is the view…..

 

 

 
 
  

After the Press Box we headed down to the club level of the stadium. Below is one of the bars on the club level.

 

 
 

Below is a picture of me and fellow Hawker Berg outside of the club seats in left field….

 
 

 

 

From there we headed down to the Access left which consisted of the Pirates and Visitors clubhouse. We didn’t get to go inside them we just walked by them. At this time we had been on the tour for about an hour and we had been every where except one place….. THE FIELD. That’s where I really wanted to go. So we walked down some stairs and then up a few and we came out right in the Pirates Dugout.

 

 

  Here is a Picture of Amanda , Me and Berg in the dugout.

 
 

 

 We went from the dugout onto the field….YEAHHHHHH

 

 

 Still on the field………..

 

 
 

 

So we wrapped up the Tour around 1:30 and headed to get some Food… Had about three hours to kill before we needed to head back and get ready for BP.

 

 

 

Game Time

 

So after the five hour drive and a tour and some food, I was ready for some batting practice and snagging some balls. I switched into my game gear and headed for the Park. After we walked across the Roberto Clemente Bridge ( below) and headed for the center field gate that opened at 5:00pm.

 

  

So the center field gate opens up for everyone at 5:00, but there is a catch to it. Only the season ticket holders are aloud to go into the stands at 5, everyone else can only walk around what is called the River Walk.  So here I am bummed because I cant get into the stadium that is close to being empty to snag a few balls….hummmmm what to do?  As I was walking along the river walk I saw that the Center Field seats had a gate that was not locked. So I walked in all by myself, only to get kicked out. But not before I had found my #1 ball of the day lying in a seat. ( Below is a Picture of Center Field when we walked in)

 

 

 

 

I ended the day with 6 total balls. ( Pictured below)

 

1. Found in CF Seats
2. Tossed by Jonny Gomes  *
3. Tossed by Jay Bruce
4. Caught – BP
5. Tossed by Homer Bailey
6. Caught -BP

 

* Right after GomeS tossed me a ball, I yelled “Thanks Jonny Geeeee , You think you could sign my ball” He looked up at me and came over and signed my ball. What a nice guy.

 

 

 

  

Jonny Gomes Autograph ball……

 
 

After BP we went over to the reds dugout to try to get some autographs. After the players warmed up I managed to get Brandon Phillips to come over to sign my ball. ( Below)

 

 
 

  

 

So the game ended up being a pretty good game, 6 BALLS, 2 AUTOGRAPHS, and a REDS WIN 2-1

 

 

Game Stats

 

• 6 balls
• 2 Autographs ( Gomes , Phillips)
• PNC PARK

 

 

Season Stats

 

• 6 Games
• 24 balls
• 2 stadiums   ( GABP, PNC Park) 
• 5 autographs (Phillips x2 Rolen, Dickerson, Gomes)

 

 

 

 

STREAK

 

6 Games in a Row with at least one snagged ball