Man Hugs

The picture headlining the article about Luis Rodriguez on TwinsBaseball.com this week brought back memories of the game that picture was taken at; a terrific game!. Twins vs Brewers on May 22, 2005 (back when we still had the Soul Patrol--sniff). That was the game my daughter, Maija, leaped up to grab a Joe Mauer foul ball in front of a groping, drunken cheesehead behind us.


Anyway, the Twins scored first with a run in the 3rd and for awhile it looked like that's all we'd need. Santana was smokin'--11 strikeouts that day--for 5 2/3 perfect innings before giving up a run in the 6th and another in the 7th. Juan Rincon gave up 2 runs in the 8th and "fans" started heading up the steps.

The Twins inched back with a run in the 8th but Joe Nathan walked in a run in the 9th to put the Brewers back up by 3. It seemed pretty hopeless when none other than Jacque Jones lead off the bottom of the 9th with a single after a 13-pitch at-bat (yes, it was JJ) and Leewwww doubled him in. Shanon Stewart hit a 2-run dinger that just cleared the baggie to tie it up and avoid a loss for Johann. The homer set off a flurry of man hugs in the dugout, and I took a picture...


L-Rod knocked in the winning run in the 11th and that shiny rookie helmet was pounded on by his teammates. Yep, we'll remember that one for a while...
P.S. Luis Rodriguez' photo was taken by Jim Mone of the AP. The others were taken by me, before I got my new camera....