5/24/11- Braves @ Pirates (PNC Park)

After getting shutout on Friday against the Tigers, I wanted to get back on track with a quick start against the Braves. I got to the stadium around 4, and got in line, played catch with two other ballhawks (Zac Weiss and Baseball Joe) and around 4:30, I went down to the Riverwalk with Nick and Erik, they both got a ball down there, but I came up empty.
When the stadium opened, we all rushed down to the bleachers, looked for Easter eggs, I didn't find any, but right away I snagged a ball the bounced around, and landed on a bleacher. I picked up the ball right before a younger kid got there, I took a quick look at the ball, and handed it to the kid. About 2 minutes later, James McDonald threw me a ball for my 2nd ball of the day in just under 5 minutes. Then after that, an unknown Pirate batter hit a ball that cleared the bleachers, and rolled into a kiosk, I ran there, but the ball wasn't there, the ball completely rolled through it, and I couldn't come up with the ball, then at that time, the Pirates got off the field, at 5:09. I quickly changed into my Braves shirt. Ran over to center field to look for balls, none where there.
Below: Braves BP

The Braves had the Angels 50th anniversary balls, sadly I couldn't come up with one.
I went back over to the bleachers, they were getting packed.
Below: Bleachers

After BP, I relaxed and eat some good PNC Park food, no joke, I love it.
The bleachers were strangely packed for a Tuesday night game in May, probably because the large amount of Braves fans that were in attendance.
Below: Bleachers during the game.

I stayed for most of the game, the Pirates were shutout, the game had great pitching.
Final score: Atlanta Braves 2, Pittsburgh Pirates 0.
Below: What I collected.

Below: Up close on the one ball that I kept.


SEASON STATS
2 balls at this game (one ball given to a kid)
7 balls at 6 games this season.
1.17 BPG (balls per game)
78 LIFETIME BASEBALLS

5/20/11- Tigers @ Pirates (PNC Park)

Well to start off some bad luck, a few days before this game my phone broke, so I was having a little bit of bad luck. Well I got to the stadium around 4:10, got an extra ticker for my friend, and got in line. I spend a few minutes on the Riverwalk with two other ballhawks, and when I got back up to the gate there was a huge line waiting to get in the stadium, thankfully I was up front. When the gates opened we all raced down to the bleachers and my friend Matt snagged a ball right away. For the first half hour the bleachers weren't empty, but weren't packed either.
Below: Bleachers

I had a couple very good opportunities to snag a ball, but I couldn't come up with it. During the first 30 minutes, I saw atleast 3 balls hit into the center field sections, my plan was to run over before 5:30 and pick them up, but when I got over there, the ushers had already picked up all of the balls. I stayed over in there for a while, but no luck, I had one chance to snag a ball. Then I went back over to the bleachers. The bleachers had mostly Tiger fans there, so it was useless to ask for a toss up.
Below: Bleachers again

BP ended, and I was shutout. I was hoping to get a toss up from a Pirate outfielder, or a game HR ball, but I couldn't come up with one. My streak of 22 straight games with a ball is over, well I'm going to start a new start Tuesday night.
Below: What I collected at this game.

Neil Walker had a great game with 5 RBI's
Final Score : Detroit Tigers 1, Pittsburgh Pirates 10.

SEASON STATS
0 balls at this game.
5 balls at 5 games this season.
1 BPG (balls per game)
76 LIFETIME BASEBALLS

5/13/11- Orioles @ Rays (Tropicana Field)

*I took more pictures at this game, but since my computer isn't working that great right now, I only put the most important pictures from the game on here, if you want to see that rest then go to my Facebook page, they are on there*
Last week, I was on vacation down in Florida. I went to this game with my uncle and cousin. We arrived at the stadium a little late (5:15 to be exact) But I still had an hour of BP. As I walked into the outfield sections, I passed up a ball that was laying on seat, someone else got to it before I could.
Below: Rays BP

Left field got crowded quickly, and I looked over to right field and it wasn't very crowded so I went over there. I stayed there for most of BP, many homers were hit my way, but I couldn't get them because of all the people and there wasn't much room to go.
Below: Orioles BP

I only got one ball at this game, it was hit by an unknown Oriole.
For the Orioles last group of BP, I went back over to left field, where many BP homers were hit, but I only had a shot at one of them, there were too many people. The only ball I had a chance to get over there was dropped by a person, I saw the saw start rolling down the rows and it stopped by a woman's foot, right before I had a chance to grab it, someone else did.
Below: Very crowded.

After BP ended, we went up to our seats in the upper deck, Section 307, Row T, Seat 8.

The game was awesome, Matt Joyce and Johnny Damon both hit HR's.
Final score: Baltimore Orioles 0, Tampa Bay Rays 3.
When I got back to my place, I took the two usual pictures.
Below: What I collected.

Below: Upclose on the one ball I snagged.


SEASON STATS
1 ball at this game.
5 balls at 4 games this season.
1.25 BPG (balls per game)
22 straight games with at least one ball.
76 LIFETIME BASEBALLS

Florida, Here I Come!

Early tomorrow morning, I will be leaving for Florida for a week! Hopefully going to a baseball game while I'm down there!