A tale of two cities
Just your regular Sunday drive
I was driving through downtown Pittsburgh trying to find the parking lot recommended by the Pittsburgh Pirates for their game that day when I thought I was driving through Columbus. For some reason, Pittsburgh, a Rust Belt city of 300,000 people, reminded me of Columbus, a Rust Belt city of nearly 800,000 people. Perhaps it was because on my previous visit to Columbus, I was also driving around noon to find parking for a baseball game. Or perhaps it was because I knew I would be going to Columbus later that night.
I did eventually find the parking garage for the Pirates game and also found myself walking over the Roberto Clemente Bridge. PNC Park, home of the Pirates, is widely considered to be one of the best ballparks in Major League Baseball. One of the main reasons is the view of that very bridge and the city skyline from any seat even partially facing center field. Unfortunately, my seat was in the left field corner, so I have no pictures of that view to share.
I arrived at the park about an hour and a half before first pitch (an unusual start time of 1:40 p.m.) for the Sunday matinee game between the Pirates and the Philadelphia Phillies. I’m trying to arrive at ballparks early to get a feel for what they are like and also to check out all of the different food options. I also want to try ballpark specials at different games, possibly including the ridiculous minor league challenging foods. Having already been to PNC Park years earlier, arriving early wasn’t that necessary. However, I still wanted to take in the view of the river and eat a sandwich from Primanti Brothers. A proclaimed Pittsburgh tradition, their sandwiches have meat, french fries, coleslaw and tomatoes. It was a good sandwich and filled me up for the rest of the game.
The Pirates scored the game’s first run in the second inning, but Philly tied the game in the top of the fourth with a solo home run. That would be the only run that Pittsburgh starter Nick Kingham would allow. The rookie went six innings, compiling five strikeouts and walking just one batter. He also helped his own cause in the bottom of the fourth, driving in two runs with a double to deep left-center field. (Side note: My favorite part of National League baseball is watching the pitcher hit. You never expect him to do well, so when he does get a hit or drive in runs, people are even more pleased.) Later in the inning, Kingham scored on a double, making the score 4–1 Pirates.
That ended up being the final score. Pirates relievers dominated the Philly bats, striking out a combined seven batters over the final three innings. Pittsburgh closer Felipe Vasquez struck out all three batters he faced in a perfect ninth inning. I had never heard of Vasquez heading into the game. After watching him pitch and hearing he had been selected to the All-Star team, I would consider him one of the top relief pitchers in the National League. Vasquez was also dominate for the Pirates a year ago, finishing fourth among NL relievers in Wins Above Replacement and a 1.67 ERA over 75 and a third innings.
The Pirates win salvaged the three game series with the Phillies and sent Pittsburghers home happy on a brilliant Sunday afternoon. Following every Pirates win, the team “raises the Jolly Roger” flag in center field with their radio announcer saying the catchphrase as well. As of July 13, the Pirates are in fourth place in the NL Central and sit five games under .500 with a 44–49 record. More times than not, the Pirates haven’t raised the Jolly Roger, so I was glad to catch a win.
After the game, I crossed back over the Roberto Clemente Bridge and drove onward to Columbus. It was a bit weird driving back into Ohio and not ending my vacation, but it dawned on me that my road trip was just getting started. The drives on this day didn’t feel very long. There were two parts, each about three hours long. Those drives are probably my shortest of the whole trip. The strange part is, if I wasn’t on a trip, I would consider one three hour drive to be very long. Yet now, it’s short and relaxing. It’s kind of crazy how vacation warps your thinking, including making you think your’re in places you haven’t even visited yet.
A couple of notes from the game that I didn’t include in the main story. I checked in with the MLB Ballpark app and received a free Pirates koozie. And speaking of beverages, I signed up as a Designated Driver after I heard all participants got a free small soda. The drink was worth it on a hot, but gorgeous day.
Where did I travel: New Cumberland, Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Columbus, Ohio
Time driving: about six hours
Home team record: 1-1
Hat of the day:
Pittsburgh Pirates home adjustable cap
Mascot watch: The Pirate Parrot
Naturally, the mascot of a team called the Pirates is… a Parrot! I was hoping it would have a cooler name than just “The Pirate Parrot,” like Bucco or Pete. The whole point of mascots is to give them silly names! Do better Pittsburgh.
Where to next: Overland Park, Kansas for an overnight stay and then Denver, Colorado on July 10 for a week-long stay
