Another midweek game at home, and we’re all doing the “please don’t rain” dance.  Feel free to leave your comments anytime.

Baseball is so unfair, that it’s fair.  If that doesn’t make sense, then you weren’t at the Dirtbag game last night.  Beware: those faint of heart should not read on…

I think the game can best be described by the ninth inning, when the game was tied, 3-3.  The top of the inning saw a walk, than a monstrous overthrow to first that sent that runner to second, and a passed ball that sent him to third.  Of course, the man at the plate sent a dying quail into center for the lead.

If that wasn’t enough, the Dirtbags put men on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the inning, but ground out/strike out/ foul out ended the night in disappointment.  Long Beach did everything they could to help keep San Diego in the game, and in the end, they did everything they could to lose it…

Top First Inning
The Dirtbags, who are coming off a series win over UC Riverside, hosts the Tony Gwynn led Aztecs tonight.  The clouds are looking heavy, so let’s hope for dry skies until this one is over because Long Beach is already on the comeback trail.  Just three batters into the game, Brandon Meredith took a Jason Markovitz pitch over the center field wall.  It was an absolute shot, and it chased Markovitz.  2-0 SDSU

Bottom First Inning
The Aztecs are starting Goldy Simmons, recently transferred from San Diego City JC.  The Dirtbags take advantage of a wild Simmons early and load the bases with two walks and a single.  Steve Tinoco brought Jordan Casas in with a sac fly, but a web gem from third baseman Erik Castro ends the threat.  2-1 Aztecs

Second Inning
Out of the bullpen, freshman Josh Corrales looks really good.  His fastball is reliable up in the zone, and he gets two weak pop ups.  In the bottom of the inning, back-to-back singles to start the inning are wasted by a strikeout, a pop up and a foul out.  Still 2-1

Third Inning
Another Dirtbag reliever, Jeff Lease, and another big strikeout to get out of the inning.  Also “another” Dirtbag stranded, in fact, this time two.  A single, and a hit-and-run on a 2-1 count like they draw it up from Tinoco and Devin Lohman, but strikeout/line out ends the frame.  Can I also say, that someone is playing a scale on the trumpet, and that means two things to me: 1. Never knew scales could be that annoying, and 2. Hearing something annoying and not being able to see it makes it twice as annoying.  2-1 SD

Fourth Inning
Lease puts one on, but a good play from Lohman ends the half inning.  In the bottom, James McLaughlin takes over for Simmons after a walk to Taylor Krick.  Long Beach plays “Dirtbag ball” to tie it up, as Tre Dennis sacrifices the runner over and Derek Legg brings him in with a single.  But when Legg takes second, it just wouldn’t be this game if the Dirtbags took advantage… so, Casas reaches on an error, only to get caught in a pickle, and have Legg cut down between third and home.  2-2

Fifth Inning
The Lefty Lease gets into a little trouble with two on, but Brennan Metzger

makes a hell of a backwards diving catch to end the inning.  The ‘Bags go quietly in the bottom after a nice pick off move from McLaughlin.

Sixth Inning
Lease comes back in after struggling in the fifth, and hangs a breaking ball to outfielder Cory Vaughn, who deposits in on the street over the left field fence.  The ‘Bags have a chance to tie it in the bottom half, but Legg’s ground ball has no eyes with Hall on second.  3-2 SD

Seventh Inning
After two get on off Tyler Topp, David Born comes in from the pen.  His funky release is enough to confuse the Aztec hitters, and he gets two strikeouts on eight pitches.  After the stretch, Casas starts it off with a double, but after a sac bunt from Lohman, it’s more wasted opportunities with a strikeout and a ground out.

Eighth Inning
Dustin “Dirty Rascal” Rasco gets them in order, and in the bottom of the inning Krick has the at-bat of the night.  Count ’em, 11 pitches after a 1-2 count he sends a high fly to the wall in left.  That wind that was supposed to bring rain, that ended up helping those two Aztec homers, played with the ball just enough to make it bounce off the left fielder’s glove for the E/RBI to tie it up.  But again, two on with no out, and the ‘Bags leave the go-ahead run on second.  3-3

Top Ninth Inning
In the true spirit of this game, the Dirtbags find a way to lose.  After a walk, E3, and a wild pitch, Vaughn bloops one into center for the go-ahead run.  Classic baseball: fair or unfair, after two errors, you just know the guy at the plate is going to make contact.  4-3 SD

Bottom Ninth Inning
So, one more exclamation mark?  Sure.  Men on second and third, no outs, and the Dirtbags can’t cash it in.  That’s 13 left on base…

FINAL 4-3
BOX SCORE