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Sunday, May 25, 2003 |
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11:30:10 PM comment [] 
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The Iron City, The Pirates, The Point Pittsburgh is truly beautiful town this time of year. I enjoyed it in March when the trees were just budding, but you have to come here when the foliage is in its full canopy. Downtown is gorgeous, spread full with trees a lot like Washington is, and green and multi-colored with flowers. After we left the Strip yesterday, we drove around downtown, er, I mean, dahntahn, and parked the car over across from PNC Park by the Clemente Bridge. Abandoning our wheels, we walked over to PPG Plaza to see the Dinomite Days sculptures that were going to be spread across the downtown area over the next few days. We took many pictures and enjoyed the children playing in the ever-changing pattern of the water-spouts that surround the Tomb of the Unknown Bowler, which while I realize this is not the proper name for the obelisk that stands there, it's rather charming. From there we wandered on down to the Point State Park where Fort Duquesne/Pitt stood for a good long while, walked its old outline, left in bricks amid the grassy meadow that is the Park. We walked down to the Fountain, which was shooting water some 50 feet into the air, misting the entire area and creating a picturesque Saturday afternoon. Had the sun cooperated a little more to burn off all the mid-level clouds, we would have been in better shape, but as it was I was pretty impressed. It was at this point that we headed down toward PNC Park, along the banks of the Youghiogheny River and up to the bright yellow suspension bridge named for Roberto Clemente. The walk across the bridge reminds me much of the walk into the Coliseum from the BART station. You come across, seeing the barbeque smoke rise from Center Field, vendors set up along the bridge selling peanuts and t-shirts for cheaper than in the ballpark. We came in through the Center Field entrance, our bags searched and secured. We picked up a program and scorecard (a quality scorecard, I might add) with the lineups and rosters. We were taken to our seats by the usher, section 127, Row R, seats 24-5. The view from the third base line is incredibly striking, the city unfolded before you, the Free Markets building, PPG Plaza and Fifth Street Plaza buildings dominating the skyline beyond the bridge. The Pirates got off to a rough start, Jeff Suppan getting hit for 6 runs in the first two innings, and the consistent double plays (3 in 3 innings) that their batters hit into. Morris was looking very good, his curve and his fastball were hitting most of the time. I suppose what surprised me about Suppan was the fact that he was pitching a lot of first-pitch strikes, but he wasn't following through, instead of striking on with good pitches, he'd pitch around them until it was 3-1. He gave up too many walks. He got behind too much and that's what killed him. I can't be quite effusive enough about PNC Park. The scoreboard is incredibly good, very high resolution, crisp images. Statistics galore, scores galore, details. There's a pirate that walks you through the half-inning entertainment, including Uncle Peg Leg's Shell Game, which makes those silly crabs in DC look like a joke, and an opening animation that you might expect from the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean, set to O, Fortuna, which I rather enjoyed. We came back today for the closing game of the series against the Cardinals, enjoying the sunshine on a Sunday afternoon. Sitting in the bleachers in left center, six rows from the fence, we got a little bit of sun and enjoyed a Pirates victory. I wish I could say that it was a fairly earned one, but the Cards were just not playing well. A few errors and several walks cost them the game, as five of the first six Pittsburgh runs were unearned. Viña had to leave the game in the fifth, replaced by Miguel Cairo, after a collision at first base. I missed the incident (retrieving a footlong with peppers and onions) but I hope that he is okay. Lofton continued his hitting streak to 23 games Sunday afternoon with an RBI double to put the Pirates on top. It ended up being the difference in the game.
I'm definitely sorry to leave PNC Park and the 'Burgh, but I know that I will come back! Next trip: Old Forbes Field. |
Last update: 6/28/03; 9:59:44 PM .
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