NewMexiKen watched the Albuquerque Isotopes hold on to beat the New Orleans Zephyrs 3-2 last night in the second game of a doubleheader (New Orleans won the first game—a make-up of Tuesday’s rainout—7-6).
It was a beautiful evening at the ballpark, if a touch warm with the temperature in the high 80s and the humidity up. Other than a few stand out plays (the ‘Topes had two triples and an unassisted double play), the highlight for the crowd of 8,400 was singing “Y-M-C-A” after “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the fifth inning stretch (they play 7-inning games in the PCL when they play two). For the many, many little people, the highlight seemed to be singing the “Sponge Bob Square Pants” theme when, for some reason, it was played.
And, as the Isotopes were named by Homer Simpson, we also have: Da-da-ta-da, ta-da, Marge!
NewMexiKen has been to many major league games in 14 big league parks, and there is nothing quite like it. But for pure recreational value, I’ll take the ‘Topes. Parking was free, for $11 each at the ticket window we got seats in the tenth row behind the first base dugout, food and drinks were good if just a little pricey, and we got to see the taco beat the red chile and the green chile in the race around the infield.