Game # 10 Braves at Cubs, 5/7/2012

I hate the Braves. I love Chipper Jones. And there, my friends, lies the rub.

My hatred for the Braves was inherited from my father, and I have absolutely no real reasons to hate them, other than that my beloved Greg Maddux defected to them in the mid-90s and found the success he couldn't get in Chicago. But watching Chipper Jones play over the last two decades has worn away the hate until it is nothing more than a facade. How do you hate a team with a player like Chipper? So I watch the Braves at least once a year, ostensibly to "watch them lose," but also to see in person a player with the class, ability, and easy grace that hearkens back to an earlier era.

He's still got the moves.

Angela and I were as excited as ever to be there.

Steve had told me how boring it was to be on the DL, so I made him a list of the top 10 things he could do while he was disabled.

Warm ups galore.

As usual, my favorite player Steve came over and said howdy.

Darwin and Angela were having a little fight.

I cheered on Joe Mather.

This fan tried to single-handedly bring back the 80s,

Raffle and Lendy.

This is Kerry Wood, and I believe Randy Wells. Or James Russell, who I cannot differentiate from here. Probably James Russell.

Jeff Samardzija was pitching. We tried to go to every game he pitched in.

Jeff was amazing.

Here Chipper Jones chats it up with Pat Listach. He's best friends with everyone.

He's also still amazing at age 100.

Jason Heyward hit a homer in the top of the second.

LaHair started up the bottom of the fourth with a home run to tie the game at one. Ian Stewart hit one after to put the Cubs up 2-1.

 Chris Bosio came to calm down the Shark.

Pat Fitzgerald sang the seventh inning stretch.

Angela remarked on how the moon looked. But then she realized it was the Harry Carey light.

Something happened here that was hilarious.

Starlin singled to center in the bottom of the seventh, sending DeJesus home to bring the score up to 3-1. Campana went to third.

Carlos Marmol came in and tried to Marmol things up by walking two batters, but he got out of the inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, Geovany Soto smacked a two-run homer and put the Cubs up 5-1.

James Russell came out to end the game. He was excited about the win.

Oh, and then I met Michael Bowden, the nicest guy ever!

Angela's picture came out better.

All my photos from the day can be seen at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150879359233786.414494.511233785&type=3