The Hy-Vee level seats at Kansas City’s Kauffman stadium yield a bird’s eye panoramic view of the field. On this clear Friday night in July, the seats do not disappoint.
It’s 9:45 p.m. The hometown boys are down by two. 6-4. It’s the bottom of the ninth. With one out, the Royals load the bases and as luck would have it, the number three hitter comes to the plate. But it’s the Royals, and Alex Gorden bats third. With the pressure on and the game on the line, it’s no surprise when Gorden whiffs at strike three.
With two outs, all is not lost as Billy Butler, the clean-up hitter makes his way confidently to the plate.
The Tiger’s reliever works slow. He steps off the rubber, walks a semi-circle around the mound, bends down and rubs a handful of red dirt between his fingers.
Butler works the count full, fouling off a pair of nasty of sliders. And on pitch number eight of the at bat, Butler takes a mighty stroke at a fastball down the pipe. The ball loops harmlessly out to the right fielder.
Butler hangs his head as he trots towards the dugout. I notice this a moment before I follow suit, hanging my shaking head.
The Royals lose.
Again.