Braves win! Braves win! Braves win!

Last night, Kate and I drove up to Atlanta and got in line at Turner Field to see if we could get two seats in the stadium to watch the Braves play the Phillies. After maneuvering the lines at the Ticket Office, and the lines to get inspected before we entered, we bought a couple of hot glorified hot dogs, a bag of peanuts, and a couple of Bud tall boys and found our seats in the left field stands. The Braves had arranged for a very patriotic experience with 13 year old girls signing the national anthem, an American flag map of the US in the outfield, a ceremony honoring a local Georgian who serves in the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, an opera singer singing "God Bless America", a baseball games between two teams which began in Philadelphia and Boston, and fireworks after the game.

All of that was great. But the best thing was the game. First of all, the Braves swept the Phillies, 3-0. But the game itself was one of the best baseball games I have seen in a very long time. The Braves won 5-2, with two homers by Casey Kotchman and Garrett Anderson, a double by Matt Diaz, and a handful of the best defensive plays I have seen performed by the Braves, period. The game ended with the first baseman tripping backwards over the rolled up tarp on the first base side of the field and catching the third out despite the acrobatics.

After the game, I called Cindy at home and asked her to record Sports Center for us. I suspected that the plays made in the game would find their way to the top ten plays of the night. Sure enough, we put the recorded Sports Center on the television and I got to see a tremendous infield catch by Yunel Escobar behind second base, a throwdown by Brian McCann to the relief pitcher at home after a wild pitch to the backstop, and the aforementioned catch by the reserve first baseman for the final out. Three of the best plays of the night.

Despite the heat and the humidity and the self-imposed dryness caused by ingesting half a bag of salted, roasted peanuts, the two Budweisers notwithstanding, that was a great night in the ATL. Its a shame more people couldn't have been with us. And you know who you are.