Game # 13 Phillies at Cubs, May 6, 2012

The Phillies are a controversial team. Some people hate them because they're so good. Some people love them because they're so good. This year, they were okay. I was excited to see them because they had a few players I very much enjoyed: Hunter Pence, who had been bounced around a bit and would continue to bounce to a World Championship team this season; and Mike Fontenot, a precious ex-Cub of mine; and also Juan Pierre, a fan-friendly ex-White Sox player who still had tremendous speed, AND is featured in the Beyonce and Jay-Z duet "Deja Vu:"

"I used to run base like Juan Pierre
Now I run the bass hi hat and the snare"

I love when the Cubs take BP under the bleachers! That means they usually come over and say hello on their way back to the dugout.

And who would I rather have stop over than Joe Mather? No one. I asked him what his shirt meant, and he said, "You know, Reed just gave these to everyone. We're all a little confused."

My favorite weirdo, Hunter Pence.

And here is one of my favorite ex-Cubs, Mike Fontenot. I first met Mike in a Wrigleyville cafe, having breakfast with Ryan Theriot, Derrek Lee, Reed Johnson, and some other player I don't remember anymore. He used to be so friendly when he was a Cub. I tried to catch him any time he went anywhere, but I never got to talk to him. I did talk to him during BP at this game and he threw me a ball.

Meanwhile, more boys came back from BP:

Matt Garza and the boys warming up.

 Some promotion to get these two to the All-Star game.

 Matt's ready to go!

 Juan Pierre having a decent year.

Hunter Pence being Hunter Pence.

 Garza pitched a decent game, two runs and eighth hits in almost seven innings.

David led-off with his trade-mark double in the bottom of the first. Great start! But he was stranded.

I want to take a pause in this action to talk about the young man in the baseball cap. He was just super cute and he was hanging out with his mom, trying to explain baseball to her.

And then this man--he was just striking. And also he looks foreign.

Okay, here's a cool at-bat. Bryan LaHair ended his fourth-inning 14-pitch at-bat with an easy fly ball that Juan Pierre dropped. Thanks to LaHomer's hustle, he ended at second on an error.

Then Alfonso hit his second home run of the year. He took a long time to get started with his homers, but after that he just kept hitting them. Cubs were up 2-1.

The Phillies tied it up in the top of the fifth. Then it was like Christmas because Mike Fontenot came in to pinch-hit in the seventh!

 His average was less than impressive at this point in the season.

 But he singled, raising his average considerably.

Matt Garza left the game.

James Russell came in to pitch

 Wiggington walked, advancing Mikey, but Shane Victorino struck out so we got out of the seventh all tied up.

Robbie Gould, Bears kicker, sang the stretch.

And now Fontenot was at third. He's a good little player.

Shawn Camp gave up a Carlos Ruiz homer in the eighth, and the Cubs did nothing else, so in the ninth, on comes Scott Main with a 3-2 deficit. Scott Maine came up because Lendy went on the DL. Scott was one of the few Cubs who seemed totally immune to the charms of Alex and Angela. We would not give up, though, but we did rename him Scott Mean.

He went ahead and loaded the bases. So on came Michael Bowden. Now, before everyone freaks out about what happened next, remember that Scott Mean is the one who loaded the bases.

Wiggington singled, which drove in two runs, putting the game up at 5-2.

 Bowden got two cats to pop out, and all seemed great until Hector Luna homered. He then struck out the next batter, but the Cubs went into the ninth down 9-2.

 Also, here is Ian Stewart's sunflower seed garden.

Mike Fontenot seemed confident in the Phillies' chances.

Joe Mather pinch hit, but he struck out. And before long the game was over with a 9-2 Cubs loss.

But after the game, Shark was super friendly.

Do you see this smile? This is Jeff's Angela smile. He was always very amused by her and gave her, and only her, this special smile. Someday when Kara Vajarsky goes to a game with us, it will be a Jeff Samardzija party.

This was a very special moment for me. The year before I had gotten his autograph, but I was too starstruck to ask for a picture. Tonight I didn't even care about an autograph; I just wanted a photo with one of my heroes. It's blurry, but I don't care. I didn't know this at the time, but I would never see him pitch again.

 All of my photos from this depressing game can be seen at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150882140553786.414755.511233785&type=3