At-Game Recap: Tigers @ Dodgers (April 8, 2014)

Finally, my first game of the 2014 season at Dodger Stadium and boy was it a doozy.  Mama Cora and I braved the elements in the 80 degree sunny and mild spring day.  We tried to show up early, but even at 5:30 pm, the traffic on Sunset was pretty congested.  When we arrived at the parking booth, our prepaid season ticket holder parking pass would not register on the scanner.  Security told me to pull my car to the side while they took 15 agonizing minutes to figure out that they could just give me the yellow sheet for my dashboard and send me on my way while they resolve the situation later.  But we finally got inside the stadium and picked up our nice, soft Dodger hoodie.  Unfortunately the right sleeve has the Time Warner Cable insignia on it, but I am hoping to scratch that off.  (On a side note, I am trying to tweet snarky comments to every Sportsnet LA tweet they put out).

 I then got to witness the glory that is Think Blue BBQ and the seats over looking the bullpen.  Mama Cora wanted to find an opening day pin, but the left field team store ran out and they directed us to the right field store.  While walking behind centerfield, I heard a "clunk clunk" and to my right a ball was rolling down the stairs.  So I ran over and picked it up.  Woohoo!  It seems like it was a batting practice home run ball by a Tigers player to left centerfield.  This was my second HR BP ball I have snagged, bringing back memories of the first one I snagged at Oriole Park in Baltimore.

Batting Practice HR Ball

Feeling elated, we walked over to the RF Team store and bought the last opening day pin for Mama Cora, which made her day.  Of course, we had to stop by Tommy Lasorda's Italian Trattoria and try the meatball sandwich.  Impression:  Meatballs were thick and juicy, but bread was kinda stale and I feel that the sandwich could use more sauce.  A 6/10 of the Blue Plate Special o' meter.  We stopped to admire all the statues: Dodger dog, Rawlings glove, Tommy bobblehead, and the World Series ring.  I thought it was very cool to be able to walk all the way around the field level section.  What a treat.

Tommy's Meatball Sandwich

Much has been said (unfortunately not seen, thanks to Time Warner Cable) about the game.  One of the new Dodger sponsors is Forest Lawn Mortuary.  Kinda gruesome and I'm sure there are going to be a lot of jokes about that if we don't win the World Series.  Around the 8th inning, there was a Detroit Tiger fan down the 3rd baseline who would just stand and hold up her right hand while the Tigers were rallying.  She continued to do this for the whole inning and then around the end of the 9th she left.  What was funny was that after the walk off win when all of the Dodger players were coming back to the dugout, Uribe was looking for her and holding up his right hand and smiling.  It was great to see the boys in blue back in action.  Nice to get that walk off win!  Go Blue!

Forest Lawn: Plan Ahead.  Really?  That's our sponsor?

Miggy and Matt

Walk off baby!  Puig and CC hug it out!