Skid's 2015 Dream Season

June 14 - HOME GAME #35 vs Atlanta Braves (30-32)

Dillon Gee (0-3) makes a spot start in the rotation against Mike Foltynewicz (3-2)

34-30

Lets Go Mets! Dillon Gee got beat up by the Braves which may prevent him from getting any more starting assignments for awhile. Down 5-1 and then 8-3 in the middle of the 4th inning, the Mets blasted four home runs to comeback on the Braves and win. Darrel Ceciliani and Dilson Herrera each hit solo shots in the 4th to make it 8-5. Travis d'Arnaud's blast into the left field stands with Lucas Duda on base made it 8-7. Then in the bottom of the 6th, Juan Largares put another Braves pitch into the left field seats for a three run homer to give the Mets a 10-8 lead. The Mets bullpen shut down Atlanta's bats for the last five innings to preserve a series win.

Ticket Cost: $124
Time of game: 2:59
Attendance: 36,340

Getting the field ready

Nice seats today behind the Atlanta dugout/third base. It was hot again but shade came over me around the 5th inning. I drank lots of water today to combat the humidity. Before the game I went to McFadden's and met a nice Yankee fan named Shane who was there with some Mets fan friends. He noticed my Mets ring and started a conversation. When I told him my story he was amazed that someone would do that. He is a bartender and wants me to come hang out at his bar one evening. He was a really nice guy and made me smile with his friends [First time I ever ate an oreo as a bar appetizer].

Game #35 view

Mr. & Mrs. Met during God Bless America in the 7th inning

No lack of hitting in this game!

Young Mets fan

Late last night I saw a post on Facebook from my friend Roger, who is a big Flying V player/collector and fellow Schenker fan. I've known Roger a little over ten years but I've known his wife Diana since High School. Diana and I had little contact but during very infrequent encounters she would always greet me with a big hug, smile and a "Skid Rowe!" She never called me Dave or Skid, she always called me Skid Rowe. We had maybe 4 brief Facebook conversations over the last 4 years. Diana was always a positive person towards me every time we talked.

Unfortunately Roger's Facebook post was to inform that Diana had peacefully passed away Friday night. After just getting off the phone from a positive hour conversation with my good friend Kerry in Los Angeles, I read this and I was deeply saddened. I had a heavy heart when I woke up and made my way to today's game. The combination of heat, being away from home, spending most games by myself, and this sad news made it a very emotional game for me.

When the Braves started pounding Dillion Gee with hits and runs, I became very disinterested in the game in front of me. I found myself watching the little kids all decked out in Mets gear around the ballpark. They were having fun with Moms and Dads in tow, not caring either about the barrage of Braves hits that were on the diamond. I wanted to get beat. Score more Braves I thought to myself. I'm feeling down so kick me hard in the gut today. I don't care if you score 20 runs.

Then the Mets did something that doesn't always happen, they came back. Four homers in 3 innings to reclaim the lead 10-8. I found myself standing and screaming with everyone else as the Mets brought joy to the ballpark. It ended up a beautiful Sunday win for the home team. I dedicate this game to my friend Diana.

Roger & Diana

*UPDATE* On November 2nd, the day after the season ended, a friend of Roger posted on Roger's Facebook page "Roger, RIP". I messaged him and found out Roger passed away from a heart attack on November 1st, the day the Mets lost the World Series. Roger was the best at playing Michael Schenker tunes on his awesome flying V guitar collection of anyone I had ever seen. I have a version of the Scorpions "Coast to Coast" that he had sent me a few years ago and he gave me permission to put it on my internet radio station where it is still in the play list rotation today. Roger and Diana were a wonderful couple and dear friends. I will see them again one day with Diana lovingly watching Roger playing his Gibson Flying V up in Heaven