Cubs v Rays (x3)

This past week I have been down in Tampa, Florida visiting my parents and what do you know, the Cubs are in town playing the Rays for a three game series. The plan was that Abbey and I were going to go the first game of the series with one of my roommates/teammates from college and his wife, skip a night, and then go to the series finale on Thursday with my parents. Next thing you know, my parents came back early from a trip, so my mom decided to go on Tuesday with us. Then my dad made a comment about going on Wed, and next thing you know we had tickets to all three games.

It was incredibly disappointing because the Cubs lost all three games, when they had won the 3 previous Cubs games I have attended this year. I then came to the conclusion that I am good luck for the Cubs, but better luck for the Rays, or I am good luck for Ted Lilly only (he pitched in the 3 previous Cubs games I attended, but not in any game in Tampa). What was also disappointing was that Kerry Wood never got in any of the games. Wood is Abbey's favorite player and in the 5 games she has been to this year he has not pitched in any of them. He warmed up in the first two and Abbey got her picture with him in the first one (see above).

The only thing that is kinda redeemable about the series is that did lose to the Rays. I was cheering for the Cubs the whole time, but I am pulling for a Rays/Cubs World Series.

GAME ONE - Tuesday - Rays 3, Cubs 2
- Our seats were great. I bought tickets online the week before the game and we had the best seats in the entire section. We were on the first row (there was a party deck between us and the field), and we were 25-30 feet away from the Cubs bullpen mound.

- I was able to see Scott Kazmir, one of my favorite players, pitch and he did really well besides a high pitch count.

- It was a great game and the Cubs made a rally in the 9th and almost pulled it out with a suicide squeeze. Evan Longoria made a great play and the game was over.

- It was great seeing Todd and his wife Rachel. Todd was one of my teammates at Milligan. They live in Ft. Meyers (where Rachel is from) and they are also big Cubs fans.

- At the end of the game, I was involved with breaking up a fight. There was a punk kid (20ish) Rays fan sitting a few rows behind us and he was past obnoxious the entire game with his cowbell. He would be standing up ringing the bell the entire game and people would be yelling at him the entire time. Once the game was over, a drunk old man Cubs fan went after him. I along with another guy were able to wrestle the Cubs fan off of him, and told the Rays punk to put down his cowbell (he would continue to ring it in the guys face). When we left the game, the Sheriff had the Cowbell guy, another cowbell guy, the cowbell guy's girlfriend (who I guess chipped her tooth), and the drunk Cubs guy. Don't know how that one turned out.

GAME TWO - Wednesday - Rays 5, Cubs 4
- This game also came down to the ninth with the Cubs trailing by 2 runs. Soto hit a home run to bring it within 1 but the Cubs could not get another run across.

- Carlos Zambrano left the game injured, and now he is on the DL.

- My dad was wearing a Cubs hat, but was cheering for the Rays. The next night he wore Rays gear.

- What is really cool is that Abbey is turning into a huge Cubs fan. Last night she had me pause Sportscenter because she wanted to see the Cubs highlights (even though we watched the whole game). She want to hear the analysis and the postgame report.

GAME THREE - Thursday - Rays 8, Cubs 3
- It was incredible to hear the stands cheering for the Cubs instead of the Rays. Cubs chants could be heard throughout the whole stadium. When the Rays pitcher would throw over to first base he would get booed. When they announced the Rays lineup one day, they got booed. When we sang the 7th inning stretch, all you heard was, "Root, root, root for the CUBBIES!"

- The Cubs made it look like they were going to win but taking a late lead, but then Carlos Marmol had his worst outing of the year walking two, and then hitting two.

- We arrived early to hopefully get an autograph (Abbey really wanted one from Kerry Wood), but probably because they had lost the first two games, nobody signed autographs. Highly disappointing.

One thing that did come out of all three games - Abbey hates cowbells.