4/26/11- Pirates vs. Giants (PNC Park)

When I got to PNC Park, the sky was overcast, but it wasn't raining, but a few minutes after I got there, it started to rain.
Below: Rain, please stop.

Before the rain began, I peeked in the stadium onto the field to see if there was any BP, but it was cancelled because of the rain. So when the stadium opened at 5, another ballhawk, Zac Weiss, and I were the first two into the stadium, I ran down into the bleachers, and found a wet ball laying in the first row.
Below: Spot where I found the ball.

It was barely raining at this point, I thought the Giants would have taken BP, but the tarp stayed on the field.
Below: Tarp on the field.

I wanted to keep the wet ball, so I did something I did once last year.
Below: Wet ball covered in paper towels.

After that, I ran down the first base side where some Giants pitchers were throwing.
Below: Giants pitchers.

Below: Brian Wilson

I tried to get Wilson's autograph, but I couldn't.
I was glad Brandon Wood got the start for this game.
Below: Brandon Wood

The tarp stayed on the field, and the game was scheduled to start at 7:50.
Below: Game time, 7:50

Finally the tarp was getting taken off the field.

Below: The games Pirate starter, Charlie "Electric Stuff" Morton.

In the top of the 3rd, I got Andrew McCutchen's toss-up.
Below: Cutch

When I got home I took the 2 usual pictures.
Below: Upclose on the two baseballs.

Below: What I collected.

San Francisco Giants 3, Pittsburgh Pirates 2.

SEASON STATS
2 balls at this game.
4 balls at 3 games this season.
1.33 balls per game (BPG)
21 straight games with atleast 1 ball.
75 LIFETIME BASEBALLS

4/22/11- Pirates vs. Nationals (PNC Park- Postponed)

Even though rain was in the forecast all day, I still decided to go to the ballpark. It rained all day, it rained on my way to the stadium, and it just kept raining.
Below: Rain, rain go away.

At 5, two PNC Park employees said that the game was cancelled, and will be made up on Monday.
*UPDATE: I didn't go to the makeup game, because I wasn't feeling well*

4/13/11- Pirates vs. Brewers (PNC Park)

I got to PNC Park around 3:40. I noticed that access to the Riverwalk was blocked off, then I saw that it was starting to get flooded.
Below: Flooded riverwalk.

I was the first one in line, so when the gates opened, I raced down into the bleachers with the other ballhawks behind me. I had the best chance to find Easter eggs, but there weren't any.
Below: Pirates BP

Up until the time when the Brewers came out for BP, the sky was overcast, but as soon as the Brewers came out, the sun came out, and I couldn't see anything because I forgot my sunglasses at home.
Below: Brewers BP

After I took the picture above, I ran over to center field to look for more Easter eggs, but there weren't any there either. Since I was already over that way, I stayed over in center and right field for Prince Fielder to hit, but he hit ball after ball into the river. It was almost 6, and I didn't have any balls. Then, around 5:50, Brewers pitcher, Mitch Stetter threw me my one and only ball of the day.
After BP was over, I took another picture of the Riverwalk.
Below: Flooded riverwalk.

Then I did what I always do after BP (Eat Diamond club pizza, and relax before the game).
The starting pitcher for the Pirates was Kevin Correia.
Below: Kevin Correia.

Below: Game view.

Notice in the picture above? Very low crowd. The attendance was 8,775.
During the game I had the perfect chance for a McCutchen toss-up, but I lost it in the lights, and couldn't come up with the ball, it was just that kind of day.
Below: I thought it looked cool with the moon in the picture.

I left the game in the top of the 9th, when I got home I took the two usual pictures.
Below: What I collected.

Below: Close up on the one ball.

Milwaukee Brewers 6, Pittsburgh Pirates 0.

2011 SEASON STATS
1 ball at this game.
2 balls at 2 games this season.
1 BPG (balls per game)
73 LIFETIME BASEBALLS

Pittsburgh Penguins- Regular Season Stats & Playoffs.

The Penguins play the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs (I wish that the Pens could have played the Lightning in the second round, cause that's when I'll be in Florida). This isn't much of a series preview, I'm just going to tell you my prediction, and that is Penguins in 6 games.

Here are the 2010/2011 Pittsburgh Penguins stats leaders.
Games Played- Letang/Talbot (82)
Goals- Sidney Crosby (32)
Assists- Kris Letang (42)
Points- Sidney Crosby (66)
+/-- Sidney Crosby (20)
Penalty Minutes- Matt Cooke (129)
Power Play Goals- Sidney Crosby (10)
Shorthanded Goals- Pascal Dupuis (4)
Game Winning Goals- Jordan Staal (4)
Shots- Kris Letang (236)
Shooting Percentage- Brett Sterling (21.4%) He only played 7 games.

Marc-Andre Fleury finished the season with 36 wins, which is 6th in the NHL. Fleury had a great season, he started out the season slow, but in November turned his game around, and played like the Fleury everyone knows.

Tyler Kennedy really impressed me this season. He scored 21 goals this season. Before the season started I thought he would score around 15 goals.

Even though the Penguins were hurt by injures all season long, it was still a great one.

LETS GO PENS!

4/8/11- Penguins @ Islanders (Nassau Coliseum)

After the Pirates home opener, I went up to my cousins house in Ohio for a night, cause Friday morning I left for New York City (Great place, been there twice in 2 months!) We all stayed at my uncle's friends house, he lives in Manhattan. This was my second time at Nassau Coliseum, its an old crappy looking arena, but I like it.
Below: Nassau Coliseum

Below: Warm-ups

During warm=ups, my cousin and I went down by the glass, but I couldn't get any good pictures.
Below: Faceoff and seat view.

Section- 332, Row- L, Seat- 8.
I didn't take any pictures during regulation, sorry.
The was tied at 3, and went into OT.
Below: Scoreboard in OT.

Nobody could score the game winner in OT, even though both Penguins and Islanders had some good chances to win. The game went into a shootout.
Below: Shootout.

The Penguins won the shootout, and the game, 4-3 was the final score.
Below: Final

Like I said before, the arena is old and not appealing, I like it. I'd love to come back to Nassau Coliseum again for a third time. The attendance of the game was 16,250.
Goals
PIT-Mike Rupp, assisted by Eric Godard and Craig Adams.
PIT-Zbynek Michalek, assisted by Kris Letang and Tyler Kennedy.
NYI-Blake Comeau, assisted by Matt Moulson and Jesse Joensuu.
NYI-Blake Comeau, assisted by Michael Grabner and Travis Hamonic.
PIT-Mark Letestu, assisted by Mike Rupp and Aaron Asham.
NYI-Travis Hamonic, assisted by Kyle Okposo.
Shooutout
PIT-Chris Kunitz

Below: What I collected at this game.

2 tickets, and game day roster card.

The regular season is now over, and the Penguins will play the Lightning in the first round of the playoffs starting on Wednesday night. Hopefully I can get tickets for a playoff game this year.
LETS GO PENS!

4/7/11- Pirates vs Rockies (PNC Park- Home Opener)

*Sorry for the late update, I was in New York City for the weekend*
So here we go! I was extremely excited for the Pirates home opener, I got to PNC Park around 10 am. All the ballhawks were there, when the gates opened, I ran into the stadium and got into the bleachers (since I am a season ticket holder this year). As soon as I got into the bleachers, I almost got hit by my one and only ball of the day, it was hit by an unknown Pirate.
Below: Pirates BP

The bleachers started to get crowded.
Below: Bleachers

I changed into my Rockies gear, and had a unsuccessful BP with them, the outfield was very crowded and nobody could move around.
Below: Rockies BP

After BP I went up to my ticketed seat, to see the view, I should have stayed there.
Below: View from seat.

Section- 301 Row- H Seat- 8.
The only ball I got at this game was signed by Joel Hanrahan, my favorite Pirates pitcher.
Below: Hanrahan ball.

I went back down to the bleachers for the game, got a slice of pizza (as always)
Here are some other pictures from the game.


Below: Everyone on the field.


Below: Game view.

Below: Paul's Posse sign.

I stayed at the game until the 8th, it was too crowded to get another ball. There were people everywhere, I barely watched any of the game, cause I couldn't see over all the people. Like I said above, I should have stayed at my seat. By the time I left the stadium I was really thristy, thankfully people were handing out free Pepsi.
Below: Pepsi Max.

Good stuff.
Below: What I collected at this game.


Colorado Rockies 7, Pittsburgh Pirates 1.

Season Stats
1 ball at 1 game this season.
1 BPG (balls per game)
72 LIFETIME BASEBALLS