Unlike things related to Samuel Adams beer, which, if you believe their advertising, are always a good decision, last night I stayed up to “watch” the Pirates game against the Houston Astros after it went into extra innings, which was probably not a good decision. By “watching”, I mean following the game using MLB.com’s Gameday feature, not actually watching the TV broadcast or even listening on the radio.
Anyway, the game started at 8:05 and went 15 innings, finally ending after 1am. Going into the top of the 9th, the Pirates were losing 3-2 until Xavier Nady ripped a pinch-hit solo home run to tie the game. For the next 5 innings neither team scored, although the Astros loaded the bases in the 10th and 13th with 1 and 2 outs, respectively. In each case, the Pirates’ pitchers were able to get out of the jam, giving the offense a couple of chances to do some damage. In the top of the 15th, they did their damage, starting with a 3-run homer by Adam LaRoche and followed up by a Carlos Maldonado sacrifice fly and an RBI-single by Jose Castillo. With a 5-run cushion, it seemed like the game was in the bag until Shane Youman loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the inning. However, he was able to secure the win by striking out 3 consecutive batters, the first two of which he struck out on full counts.
Raise the Jolly Roger and let me sleep in!
Many of you may know that I spent a year in Germany between finishing my undergraduate degree and beginning my graduate studies. While I was there, I developed a taste for German beers, particularly double bocks and other heavy beers. However, in the summer, I can’t drink beers like that; I need something lighter and more refreshing. The last summer or two, my beer of choice has been Heineken. Over the weekend, I was in a local liquor store and found a 5L Heineken mini-keg. They also had mini-kegs from Warsteiner and Becks, but those had a spigot at the bottom – sort of like wine from a box. The Heineken has a tap at the top and the beer is pressurized. The first pint or two were a little foamy but after that, the tap worked very nicely. So, if you’d like beer from a keg without having to buy a kegerator and a huge keg, see if your local liquor store has any Heineken mini-kegs on hand. They’re great for parties, or, since they stay good for up to 30 days after tapping, they’re fine for personal consumption as well.
