Orioles vs Mariners — 6/9/26
My phone does this thing in CarPlay where it shows the score, the side of the inning, the outs, and runners on base. Leo asked if this was in Seattle, and I said no, Camden Yards in Baltimore. “Ah, so we've got two runners on and one out!”
I've negotiated with myself a little on whether I actually want this feature on my phone or not. It spoils games I'm watching occasionally. It sometimes starts an endless spiral of questions from Leo about what's happening in the game when Nadia would rather us just get from point A to point B. But also, I kind of love having this reminder every day that baseball is being played. Our guys are out there playing their hearts out. And I'm with them even when I'm not.
I wanted to play A. Savage's rendition of "I Can't Shake the Stranger Out of You," which had been lodged into my head the last couple days. As the song played, the bases cleared and the M's were up, 3 to 0. We later watched a Mitch Garver bomb in a Walgreens parking lot before picking up Nina.
A few more innings went by as we headed home and ate a quick dinner in preparation for Leo's last coach pitch practice of the season. We turned the game off as we had dinner, so we could share our roses and thorns of the day (the good and the bad).
By the time I drove Leo and Nina to the park, it was the bottom of the ninth and the M's were up 4 to 2. We played the game through the car radio to hear Gary Hill Jr calling it this time. Ferrer pitched with a save opportunity. A challenged pitch for strike one, a long at-bat ending with Leody Taveras striking out on a pitch-clock violation. Full count next batter. Hill Jr jokes, "Chances are Mayo won't commit a violation here, so we'll see what Ferrer does." A home run in response by Mayo. A slow roller to third, no play. I could feel Leo's nerves as we pulled into the park where he practiced. I handed him his bat, glove, and helmet, and he ran off toward his team.
I grabbed Nina's yellow balance bike and my cruiser skateboard from the trunk, fastened her helmet, and we started rolling around the park between Leo's practice and a playground. Sensing the tension still from the game, I put the radio broadcast on my phone and placed my phone in my front overshirt pocket as we coasted. A run-saving ground rule double. A dribbler hit up first base; Ferrer with a bare handed catch and off balance throw to home. Game tied 4 to 4. Still one out with runners on the corners.
"Daddy, can you push me?" Of course! I pushed Nina in between her testing out swings, deciding which one is best. Bases loaded with a walk. "Is Cal Raleigh playing?" Not this game. Soon, hopefully. A chopper to third hit by Henderson. Wisdom fields with a jumping catch and throw to home; run saved. Another full count with Alonso up to bat. Ground ball hopping over Ferrer to second. Ryan Bliss has it, races to second, steps in time. Baltimore challenges. Call upheld. I exhaled a soft "yes" as I steadied Nina's bike.
Nina and I checked out a Zumba class at the community center right next to the playground. A room of mostly elderly Asian women danced to Booty by JLo. Randy Arozarena hacks at a slider breaking away and sends it over the right field wall. Mariners up 6 to 4 in the tenth.
The last available arm in the bullpen, called up today from the minors, Davila took the mound in the bottom of the tenth. His name sounded familiar when the broadcast mentioned that he last pitched for the M’s a few weeks ago against the Royals. Did we see his first career strikeout? First pitch hits an Oriole batter. Base hit into right field and a run scored, 6–5. Pop up to short right field; long run, Bliss dives to make the catch near the line. Holds the runner on third, one out.
"Nina, can we please go check out Leo's practice? It's his last one, and I want to see what they're up to."
"Okay Daddy." Nina and I rolled along a shallow sloped sidewalk heading down to Leo's practice field. Ball in play bouncing to third; Wisdom throws to Garver with a tag at home. He's out! Baltimore challenges. Call stands. After a few more pitches and one more ABS challenge, Davila throws strike 3 in on O'Neill's hands. I pumped my fist into the air as Nina and I continued rolling towards Leo's practice.
When we arrived at the practice field, I saw a bunch of parents wearing gloves in the infield. Had I read the last email before practice, I would have known we were shaking things up for this last practice. “It’s too late for you to play us!” Leo’s friend exclaimed. That’s okay, I had to watch Nina anyway. Although in truth, I would have been half thrilled, half nervous to play with them. Leo and I were just starting to throw harder when playing catch, and my accuracy was not what it used to be after now only throwing lobs to kids the past couple years.
Leo asked for the score. “Mariners won in extras, 6 to 5! Randy smashed a 2-run homer to take the lead.” Nina and I settled into the bleachers to watch Leo’s last practice at bat of the season. After a few pitches foul away, he hits a sharp grounder toward second. His friend’s dad bare hands it off the hop and tosses it to first; Leo almost out-legs it. “Good contact Leo!”
Final: Mariners 6, Orioles 5
Seats: Swing, skateboard, bleachers
Memory: Zumba, Leo’s last practice, I will remember Davila this time