The Training Wheels are Off!

May 2, 2008

Wow. Wow. Just Wow. [Photoset]

I’m not sure if I’m more in love with my new camera (can I call myself a photographer now?) or the gumption the Nats have shown in the last handful of games. Totally check out the photoset! It’s the best yet! The training wheels comment was actually meant for me, but I suppose it could also apply to the Nationals, who have won four in a row now in some very close games.

I’d love to say I was a good luck charm (because here it’s all about me, right?). But that honor probably goes to Wil Nieves again, who put the Nationals on the board 2-0 early in the game. He also caught Odalis Perez, who pitched an excellent game against the Pirates, going 7 innings only giving up 3 hits and 2 runs. (Look, Ma! Another pitcher made it past six innings!)

This could alternatively be titled “How Nate McLouth Tried To Kill Me”. See the ball in the upper right corner? It lined foul right into the photo pit and the MASN cameraman jumped out of the way, leaving me as the target! (Ok, I’m not sure if it was that particular at bat, but work with me here) Chivalry really is dead! Haha. Luckily, I was watching the batter and not the fielders, so I managed to jump out of the way too and it harmlessly hit the wall behind me. Funnily enough, I snapped a shot of the new improved scoreboard while McLouth was up to bat too.

Austin Kearns was really the hero of the night, coming up to bat in the bottom of the 8th with the score tied 2-2. I was beginning to think extra innings were on the horizon again. Cristian Guzman had singled to right and Nick Johnson was hit by a pitch (that I swear looked like it hit him in the head). The trainer ran to the top step of the dugout and called, “Nick!” while Johnson was on first, but Nick didn’t hear him or wasn’t concerned, so he continued on. Austin Kearns mustered up all his might and singled to right. Cristian Guzman motored from 2nd all the way home, where he slid in ahead of the tag as the winning run. Jon Rauch got the job done in the top of the 9th, saving the 1-run lead.

Bang! (Zoom!)

But the REAL reason I went to shoot the game… I was on a mission for a closeup of Nick Johnson’s lip fuzz. While I’m not a fan of mustaches *at all*, apparently it’s his good luck charm. Still, I hope it’s gone after Cinco de Mustache.

Posted in Gameday, Photography, Washington Nationals