Running the Bases with Alexandra Shloss: Game #22 Mariners at White Sox 6/2/12

The giveaway for this game was a Carlton Fisk replica mini statue! I got Jennie to go with me on the hope that I could help her meet Gordon Beckham. So we went. Here's the starting lineup:

Beautiful Sarah Kustok.

Tyler Flowers chilling on the phone.

Eduardo Escobar spent a long time signing autographs again. He is such a good guy.

Orlando Hudson warms up.

Me and Jennie waiting hopefully for some of the Sox to come over.

Orlando Hudson stretching.

Kosuke Fukudome was honored before the game.

De Aza and Dunn

Hudson

Beautiful Beckham. Jennie's hopes were high.

Dunn

Then Gordon Beckham came over to sign autographs. But before he did, he walked over to the security guard with a baseball and asked him to give it to a child. How awesome is that?

Here, Jennie is sooo close....

And it happened. Even though she didn't get that picture, she got to talk to him.

He signed for a long time.

Jennie with her Gordon Beckham autograph.

What a stud. Best second baseman in baseball.

Gavin Floyd on the mound for the Sox. Ichiro Suzuke promptly led off the game with a homer. Then Justin Smoak led off the second with another homer.

In the bottom of the second, Alex Rios hit a single, then stole second, then got to third on a passed ball.

Here's that home run hitter,.

Anyway, AJ hit a home run to drive him and Al home to tie the game at 2.

Ichiro hit yet another home run in the third to take the Mariners to 3-2.

Gordon biting his nails in worry.

Best friends.

Orlando wanted to get stuff done. So he doubled.

Gordon singled to drive Hudson home.

Beckham got to second on an Adam Dunn fly-out, but that was it. Game tied at 3.

I decided to take a little walk to compare my statue to the big statue. Exact replica.

I also stopped by Frank Thomas' statue.

In the fourth inning while we took a walk, Saunders two-run homered for the Mariners. But Alex Rios also homered for the Sox but it was just a onesie.

Do you think doing that really makes you hear better? It's a serious question. I don't know. But Gordon Beckham took a fifth-inning opportunity to hit a two-run homer, and the Sox were finally leading 6-5.

Yes.

Will Ohman came in to relieve Floyd in the top of the sixth.

Zack Stewart came in and also relieved in the sixth.

Then Hector Santiago came in also in the sixth. Lots of sixth-inning pitchers.

Sometimes I think Gordon tries too hard to be best friends with Paul.

Hi Gordon.

So far, so good. With the one-run lead, Jesse Crain came in and relieved Santiago in the seventh.

Southpaw celebrated the stretch.

Gordon Beckham and his hot streak drove in De Aza with a single in the seventh.

The Beckham reached second on a Smoak throwing error.

Ventura and AJ just kickin' it.

Dunn walked. It looked like maybe the Sox would increase that lead. But no. Sox still lead 7-5.

Sadly, in the eighth, the Mariners tied it up. Matt Thornton came in to pitch with a Brendan Ryan on second. Ryan stole third and then scored on an AJ throwing error, so the Mariners were now leading 8-7.

I wish I went to that festival.

Bottom of the eighth, Viciedo hit a homer to tie the game.

Nate Jones came in to pitch the ninth.

De Aza singled in the ninth but got out on a Beckham-hitting double play.

De Aza got hurt.

Papa Ventura came out to make sure it was for real.

No one scored in the ninth or the tenth. Addison Reed came in to pitch in the 11th. In the 12th, he was still pitching, and the Mariners scored two runs.