In his first at bat of the 2005 season, Anton French OF scorched a triple down the right field line in a game the Sky(gak)Chiefs ultimately lost 9-7 after a ninth-inning 40-minute rain delay.
In the home team's first at bat of Game 2 of the season, Anton beat out a bunt for a single and came in with the game's first run in the first inning. The Red Wings took the lead in the fifth 3-2, tacked on an insurance run when Garrett Jones responded to derisive chants of "Gaaarrr-ettte, Gaaarrr-ettte!" from the Syracuse fans by hitting a solo shot over the right field fence. It looked like things were settled, the Sky(gak)Chiefs would lose the first two games of the season, disappointing their fans (sadly, not an uncommon event), but the bottom of the order and the top put together a couple hits and tied it up.
It stayed tied despite both teams getting men on base in nearly every inning that followed. The ballpark had been at best at 10% capacity and fans dribbled out as the dinner hour approached and the innings piled up. As the 12th came to an unresolved end, my uncle and I agreed we would stay for just one more before he needed to return home (he was on call that evening in the senior housing where he lives). The Sky(gak)Chiefs again got men on in the bottom of the 13th and it looked like they were likely to be lame ducks just like all those preceding them. But with two out and two on, and a strike, maybe two on him, Anton French powered a shot over the right field fence, same place Gaarrr-ettte had parked his. The shamefully small number of fans still on hand were mighty pleased not only to have their team split the opening series, but do it in such exciting fashion.
Reasons to Love Minor League Baseball: In the minors, the parks are small, the seats are close, you can hear not only the umps clearly, but the players as well, and all those marvelous sounds of the game, wood and leather and pounding feet. You also, when the "crowds" are small can hear the fans. Red Wings catcher Rob Bowen was at the plate and from behind their dugout a Red Wings fan in from Rochester (whose voice I recognize even though we're both out-of-towners because he's vocal when he follows his team here) encouraged him, "Come on, Rob, get a hit," and from the opposite side of the park, as Syracuse fan called out, "Rob, never mind. Don't do that." Red Wings fan, "Just a little hit, Rob, just a little hit now," and Sky(gak)Chiefs fan, "No, Rob, strike out."
Notes: Aaron Hill seemed to be having some trouble with the artificial turf, bobbling a couple balls, making a couple errors, but from what I've seen of him, the learning curve probably won't be steep. My uncle is concerned that Aaron is too good and will not last the season, or even the major part of it, in Syracuse. Russ Adams, who was called up from Syracuse late last season, is playing shortstop in Toronto, so I think Aaron will be given as much time as he needs.
Jason Tyner no longer resembles a toothpick. His uniform has always looked like it is dangling on a wire hanger out in centerfield. The man finally has some meat on his bones, and he finally looks like a man, no longer a boy, (he will be 28 in a couple weeks) evident not just in the filled-out frame, but in the changed angles of his face. My uncle thinks Jason Tyner has one of the strangest stances at the plate he's ever seen. Funny thing is, he takes the same stance at the ready in center; he looks like a croquet wicket.
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