Did we just go to a World Series Game?
Did I mention it was a Game 5 series-clinching game at the iconic Dodgers Stadium? Oh, I didn’t? Well I will.
Dodgers Stadium
One of the perks of dating a teacher who has the summer off and a guy who likes browsing airline deals just for fun- is that when an adventure comes up- you’re both ready to roll. Cue our last minute trip to the World Series at Dodger Stadium.
So two weeks before the World Series began, when xx and xx were still vying for a spot on baseball’s biggest stage, Kev got the bright idea to check flights to LA- “just in case” they moved on. Well, sure enough they did. Now we had already been to California for a few games earlier this season, but didn’t hit Dodgers- so this was all too perfect. We booked our flight, packed our bags and lounged at the Double Tree eating warm chocolate chip cookies by the pool. JK (not about the cookies, but about my pal ass being by a pool voluntarily)- we definitely were in a dark Irish pub watching the games and drinking cold beers. The night before we left for Cali we were watching the game and scouring the ticket prices to see what this investment would really entail and if we would need to go to Game 4 – or if there would be a chance for a Game 5. Well the Dodgers pulled out a win in game 3 to gaurantee a Game 5, so now we had a choice. We get to LA, head to a bar and start counting our coins. Which game do we want to go to? How much do we want to spend? What are the potential pitching match-ups? Will the hot dogs taste the same at a Game 4 and 5? Serious life questions. Well we settled on waiting out Game 4 in a sports bar and hitting up Game 5. Cue the clouds parting and light shining thru as we plug in our credit card information to purchase those tickets.
Fast Forward thru us eating our body weight in scrambled eggs & bacon at the free breakfast buffet and packing everything that wasn’t bolted down in our hotel room into our suitcase- since we would now be living on a budget for the chance to attend a World Series Game.
Now we get a small townie bar not far from the ballpark to grab our pre-game ritual beer & shot (and let’s be honest, probably some nachos) and have to climb a massive hill thru a parking lot (why are there so many drivers in LA? Also, parking was $160. You read that right. One hundred and sixty dollars) The stadium is beautiful. Maybe it’s the perfect sunset. Maybe it’s the thrill of a World Series Game in the air, or maybe it’s just me- but the stadium was a sight to behold. Our seats weren’t great, but hey- we were breathing the same air as some of the finest athletes in the World. We were close enough for Danny Ocean and his team of bandits to steal a trophy that kids dream of from their backyard sandlot pits. So we didn’t get to see Chris Sale start the game since he came in as a reliever the night before as the game went into extras. The game itself was lack luster, but the atmosphere, audience and nostalgia of eating a Dodger Dog (don’t get your hopes up- a Vienna Beef on your home grill would be better, but a girls’ gotta do what a girls gotta do when at a ballgame) were enough to rank this as one of our favorite games, stadiums and adventures to date.
Bonus- Chris Sale came in AGAIN in relief to close out this game. So Kev got to fanboy over his favorite pitcher while I got to revel at the fact that I was spending a Thursday night under the California sun watching a game I’ll probably soon forget (but not the experiences around it).
Double Bonus- My niece’s birthday second birthday party fell during this trip- so years from now my sister will still be holding it against me that I chose to go to a World Series game instead of attending a pizza party for a two year old. I did send the next best thing in my absence: a giant poster of me doing what I do best- drinking a beer.
Triple Bonus- My couins Regan is a HUGE Red Sox fan so I got to face time her during the game so she was there by proxy.
