Night at the Ballpark: Eugene

Tonight my wife and I took our daughter to her first minor league baseball game as the Eugene Emeralds hosted the Tri-City Dust Devils. Overall it was like most other games that I have been to (95% of which have been with my boy Jay - sorry you couldn't be here buddy), but it did have the following highlights.

• The game was played right next to Autzen Stadium in the brand new PK Park. It was unspectacular on the outside, but was really beautiful inside with its cedar roof.
• The first thing I encountered when I walked in the stadium was an amazing smell. It turned out to be a bacon wrapped hot dog. Seriously, bacon wrapped hot dog. I didn't have one, because I'm cheap, but it smelled great.They have a promotion twice a game where the announcer says that if the Ems' pitcher strikes out the batter, beers will be $3 for the next 15 minutes. In the third inning, the batter grounded into a double play that got the Ems out of the inning. I was sad that he didn't get the strikeout. The usher heard me say this to the wife and made fun of me for having the wrong priorities. In the 6th the batter struck out. The stands were cleared of all men in less than 15 seconds.
• The charm of Single A baseball is undeniable. It is simple and pure. As you walk in, they have the league standings updated on an erasable board with the team names printed off a computer. When the relief pitcher was ready to come in from the bullpen, they pitching coach didn't use a phone. Rather, the players in the bullpen raised their hats to signal when he was ready.
  

The highest rated draft pick in the game was Jedd Gyorko, a 2010 2nd round draft pick out of Texas A&M while the highest rated Padres prospect was CF Rymer Liriano (#12). However, it was 19-year old Keyvius Sampson (Padres #17 prospect), the Padres 4th round draft pick in 2009 that stole the show. He came into the game with a 2-0 record, with a 1.88 ERA and a below 1 WHIP. Tonight he left after 5 innings with a no hitter finishing with 4 K's and walked out the winner.

The weather was beautiful and we had a great time. We can only hope for another great night tomorrow as we watch the Salem-Keizier Volcanoes take on the Boise Hawks.