I wouldn't call that one [1] a classic — too much bit-spitting in situations where the thing should have ended earlier — but it sure was fun. About the only thing it was missing was one or both managers picking their least-worst-hitting starting pitchers to pinch-hit. (Glavine and Smoltz?) Along the way…well, I'm not quite sure I can remember. When Gary reminded us that early in the game Lo Duca got hit in the wrist by Andruw Jones's backswing, I was startled: Wasn't that like last week? Even Billy Wagner giving up a pinch-hit home run to Wilson Betemit was a bit aged in the memory by the time this one was over. Which is best for Billy, as it will mute the muttering in tomorrow's papers and blogs somewhat. Though not enough: I'm not ready to say something's wrong with Billy Wagner, but I did catch myself wondering if Billy Wagner's all right.
But anyway. At one point I dimly recall Steve Trachsel being infuriating, Carlos Beltran hitting a smooth and easy home run, Cliff Floyd hitting a sudden and very violent home run, Bobby Cox arguing about balls that haven't been strikes since Maddux and Glavine were atop the heap, wondering why on earth “Sir Duke” isn't Lo Duca's theme music, thinking I sure wish Roger McDowell wasn't wearing that uniform, an Australian pharmaceutical salesman making us look silly, laughing at Keith and Gary as they became increasingly unfit for narrating television, and finding it incredibly funny that they'd show the radar-gun readings of the four pitches of an intentional walk, which suggested I was becoming increasingly unfit for watching television.
In the end, two more-recent and lasting impressions to take into the night:
1. A game ball for Jorge Julio. Willie kept saying the right things about trusting him, but I bet he didn't have this in mind for Julio's first real test: straight into the lion's den to face Chipper and Andruw with no margin for error. He came out not only alive, but with Andruw's pelt. Nicely done.
2. We all know Carlos Beltran made a heads-up play when that ball eluded McCann in the 427th inning. (Or whatever it was.) But there's another reason to give thanks for his heads-upness: Wright's game-winning hit landed on the warning track and hopped into the bleachers. If Beltran hadn't taken second, that would have been a ground-rule double, and Beltran would have been sent back to third.
Second and third, two out…and I don't want to know.