This, Rainiers Minute fans, is our attempt at a live-blog of a Tacoma Rainiers baseball game. Prepare yourselves for a wild, wild ride.
The only problem is the blog is not really live. The game, the Tacoma Rainiers facing the Reno Aces, happened hours ago. For the real live-blog action, you should probably follow Brett Cihon's twitter. Or just go to the game. Whatever works for you.
-6: 30 I (Brett Cihon) arrive to the ballpark a bit later than I'd intended. Damn that Fort Lewis traffic.
-6:33 I make my way to the press box only to find it's crowded. Great. I'm just getting used to the idea of having a press pass, now I have to deal with actual press? Beat writers and stuff? I'm a little scared.
-6:50 The first pitch is thrown out by Olympia legend Jonathan Stewart. His pitch is certainly off the mark. Whatever, he's a football player.
-7 ish. Miss Seattle sings the national anthem. Tiara, voice, strut and everything. I know who I'm directing my sexy eyes towards in the Tasty Terrace tonight.
-7:07 Play ball! Tacoma Rainiers vs. Reno Aces.
-7:10 Have I ever seen a baseball scorebook in my life? I don't think so. And they call me press....
-7:13 Langerhans blasts a homerun in his first at bat.
-7:30 I may have locked the Weekly Volcano's twitter account after a bevy of blown login attempts. Woops.
-7:50. It's cold up here in the press box. I need a sweet Rainiers jacket. Or at least sweater.
-7:55. For blogging a baseball game, I have spent very little time so far actually watching baseball. I didn't even see how the Aces scored their second run.
-7:58 Ryan Langerhans gets thrown out while trying to steal second. Langerhans is surprisingly fast. But apparently, not fast enough.
-8:07 Haeger hit Tony Abreu in his left thigh. It looked like it hurt. If a 60mph knuckleball looks like it hurts, than imagine what a normal pitch feels like.
-8:09 Abreu is thrown out trying to steal second. The last two minutes have been a bummer two minutes for Abreu.
-8:20 I'm getting hungry. I may have to make a Tasty Terrace run. Dare I turn my attention away with Tui on third?
-8:21 Damn. I wanted to tweet my Tasty Terrace run, but Twitter once again locked my account. I guess I will have to wait.
-8:25 Screw my tweet. I have to piss.
-8:34 Haeger gets out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth. Haeger country, baby.
-8:40 Rainiers tie the ballgame 2-2 on a Matt Mangini double. Mangini, we here are the Weekly Volcano are looking for a new crush. You're a lucky guy, Mangini. Because you might be the one.
-8:49 The Weekly Volcano definitely needs to do a Tasty Terrace Meat Market. There are some lookers up in this joint, baby.
-8:54 We've reached the seventh and Haeger is still in the game. Great knuckleballing going down tonight.
-8:56 Please don't confuse my thoughts on the Tasty Terrace needing a Meat Market review with the Family Terrace needing a Meat Market review. The Weekly Volcano should not- I repeat SHOULD NOT- do a Meat Market on the Family Terrace. That's just gross.
-9:10 Rumor in the press box is the new Ace's pitcher likes Fleetwood Mac. Now THAT'S an update.
-9:14 The Rainiers Jumbo-tron is showing a snowboard race instead of a hydroplane race. Once again, the Rainiers show how much cooler they are than the Mariners.
-9:20 Aces' Mark Hallberg hits a two run double to put the Aces up 4-3 . There goes the Haeger win, there goes the lead and here comes my craving for beer.
-9:35 Good time for a Mike Wilson homer.
-9:37 Nope
-9:40 I've never noticed the transition from short skirts to jeans and sweatshirts so drastically as I have from my vantage point in the press box. People are certainly prepared for these Tacoma night games.
-9:45 It's the bottom of the ninth inning and the Rainiers are down a run. Luckily, they're playing "Eye of the Tiger " in Cheney Stadium. Repeat with me: I'm a believer.
-9:50 Repeat with me: I am NOT a believer. The Rainiers lose the game 4-3. Time to go home, or go out, and drink some brews, people.
So there's my attempt at live updates from the game. It was a fun time even though the Rainiers (43-45) lost. Charlie Haeger pitched seven innings and gave up one earned run. Ryan Langerhans hit a dinger. Matt Mangini may have solidified his position as the Weekly Volcano's crush. I bought two hot dogs for two bucks. Overall, a good night.
Except, you know, the Rainiers lost. That sucked. Big time.
Stay tuned for more of these Live Rainiers Minute as we cruise along with the season. Well, you might see less of these depending on whether or not my editor thinks these are a huge waste of time. But I'll worry about that tomorrow. Now, it's time for some beer.