Hello Kitty Day

There were many good things about Thursday.  It was Hello Kitty Day at Dodger Stadium.  I have been a fan of Hello Kitty since I was a little girl so this was my day.

The traffic was horrendous which is expected on a holiday weekend.  It was only Thursday but it took me 1 1/2 hours to get to the stadium from Long Beach.  I could have driven to San Diego.  But it was ok since I allotted myself plenty of time to get there.  As I was walking from the parking lot to the stadium, I noticed a shiny quarter, heads up, in my path.  It was a sign from my Dad that he was there.  I knew then that it would be a good day.It was early batting practice as usual.  They were stretching.

Hi Chase
A couple more familiar faces
It was time for me to take that dreaded trip to the gates again.  I had promised my sisters Hello Kitty tee shirts.  I hadn’t realized that there would be an additional giveaway, a weekender bag so I thought I would have to go through the gates another 3 times.  Luckily the gatekeeper gave me mercy and scanned all my tickets at once so I was able to get all of them without any hassle.  

I found out that I could pick up these special day items behind right field pavilion.  I was so thankful I didn’t have to walk all the up to reserve section.  The Hello Kitty shirts are adorable.
I ran into one of the chefs from the club Eddie who was nice enough to take a selfie with me.  Sometimes these selfies can be so much fun.
The food was excellent.  How can anyone complain about molasses chili tri tip, turkey poutine with stuffing, creamed spinach with artichoke hearts and fusilli pasta?  The salads were as good as they always are.
I had my eye out for Hello Kitty.  My heart was pounding as she approached.  I was almost crying from excitement.
I couldn’t believe that Hello Kitty actually stopped for me…I was the only one to get a picture.  Thank you Jo for taking this amazing picture.  My day would have been complete right then and there but more thrilling moments were to come.
Yasmani making the trip from dugout to bullpen
Does anyone recognize Robert’s mystery guest??
And then Kenta Maeda made his trip to the bullpen.  What is more annoying to photographers than other photographers getting in the way.  I mean really.
He did his famous windmill first and then glanced in my direction as if to reassure me that this fantastic day was just beginning.
Kenta did his usual warmups.
My friends Norma and Greg were early.
I noticed how beautiful the day was while the guys were stretching.  But then again I knew it would be.  It was glorious.
Bat girls Danielle and Alianna.  How exciting when they BOTH gave me hugs.
National Anthem 
And then Hello Kitty sashayed up to the mound and threw the first pitch.  Is that Yasmani smirking?
Here comes Kenta and Yasmani
First pitch and everything that comes before
The twins were in attendance.  The picture didn’t quite work out.  I’ll try again later.  I could never be a children’s photographer.  Too much stress.
I decided it would be a good time to go up to Loge Section to see my baby sister.  She was attending the game with her friends.

My sister Sara is second from the left.  I know that wasn’t a beer in her hand.
While I was socializing in the Loge Section, bad things were happening on the field.  The score was 0-3 and it wasn’t the Dodgers on top.  I figured my Dad didn’t want me to see the damage so he sent me upstairs.  Dexter Fowler had singled.  Tommy Pham walked, Jedd Gyorko doubled scoring Fowler and Pham.  Then Kenta threw a wild pitch.  Molina singled scoring Gyorko making the score 0-3.  The top of the inning wasn’t over yet.  Aledmys Diaz doubled and Kolten was intentionally walked but Molina was caught at home by the flying Kenta Maeda!!!

In the bottom of the 1st inning, Chris Taylor singled and Yasmani walked but both were left on base.  I still hadn’t returned to my seat.  Kenta finally warmed up with only Pham hitting a single but was left on base.

When I finally returned to my seat, my in-seat food was waiting for me.  Oink Oink.


In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Chase Utley hit his first homerun of the season, a very important one, changing the momentum of the game. 1-3.
In the top of the 3rd inning, Gyorko singled, Molina singled but Maeda limited any damage by forcing a pop out and a force out and striking out Diaz.

In the bottom of the 3rd inning the Dodgers were out in order.  I still wasn’t upset.  I knew it would turn out ok.  I had faith.

In the top of the 4th inning, the Cardinals were out in order.

In the bottom of the 4th, Cardinals super pitcher Michael Wacha seemed to fall apart.

Was he getting tired?  He seemed to be rolling over the Dodgers the first couple innings.
Cody Bellinger started the damage with a single to right field.
Kike Hernandez singled to right field with Cody going to 3rd.
My heart Yasiel then singled to right field with Cody scoring and Kike going to 3rd.  2-3.
#puigmyfriend was able to steal second while Kenta was batting.  Kenta did an amazing thing.  With a .071 average he hit a single scoring Kike and Yasiel.  Kenta was out at second but who cares.  The Dodgers pulled ahead.  The Cardinals fans were screaming in agony.  4-3.  What happened to their lead?
In the top of the 5th inning, Matt Carpenter went to 1st when Kenta hit him with a pitch but was left on base after a double play.

In the bottom of the 5th inning, Wacha continued to fall apart as Chris Taylor singled to left field.
The Dodgers continued their domination with a Corey Seager walk with Chris to 2nd.  Uh oh, is Chris Taylor grabbing his leg and grimacing.  I didn’t see that.  
After much discussion, Brett Cecil replaced Wacha.  The Cardinals fans groaned.  Hmmmm.
The twins were BOTH happy.
I was about to see why the Cardinals fans groaned when Cecil replaced Wacha.
Wild pitch #1 to Yasmani….Chris Taylor to 3rd, Corey to 2nd
Wild pitch #2 to Yasmani…Chris Taylor scores, Corey to 3rd.  5-3.  Yasmani eventually grounds out but wait folks, that’s only one out.
Adrian Gonzalez doubled scoring Corey 6-3.
Dave Roberts plan came into action when Hyundai-Jin Ryu replaced Kenta.  The dynamic duo.  This is Ryu’s first relief role as a Dodger.  Maybe this was Ryu’s relief assignment…4 innings.
In the top of the 6th, Kolten Wong was able to hit a single but was left on base.  In the bottom of the 6th inning, Kike doubled, Chris doubled scoring Kike.  7-3.

Good things are happening to Chris Taylor again after he signed his Mothers Day hat.  Karma.
In the top of the 7th inning, I was already celebrating with ice cream.

Tommy Pham singled but was left on base in the top of the 7th inning.
In the bottom of the 7th inning, Yasmani hit a single to center but was left on base.

In the top of the 8th inning the Cardinals were out in order.

In the bottom of the 8th inning, former Dodger Jonathan Braxton came in to try to salvage the game for the Cardinals.
In the top of the 9th I was confident that the Dodgers  would win this game.
Who is that I see in the dugout giving the coaches advice??  None other than Andre Ethier.
And the Dodgers win with a score of 7-3.

The Dodgers won the series against the Cardinals,  2 out of 3 games.  Thank you Dad.
Friday the Dodgers meeet the World Champion Chicago Cubs.  Jake Arietta  4.80 5-3 will be pitching against Alex Wood 1.88 5-0.  Can you believe Alex’s stats??  

Thank you for stopping by.  I still have to post about the Wild Horse Poker Tournament which took place on Monday the Dodgers only day off this homestand.  I’ll do that when they are out of town next week.  I also haven’t posted about the extra inning game on Tuesday.  Thank you WordPress for the technical difficulties.

GO DODGERS!!!  Beat the Cubbies!!  Good  to see my sister Sara at a Dodgers game.  It means she actually had a day off.  See everyone soon.  Please vote for our Dodgers in the All Star vote.  

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