Yesterday evening I had the chance to see that second game of a day/night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. The first game, in the afternoon, was the makeup game for Tuesday’s rain out. The second game, which began at 7:05 PM, was the regularly scheduled one. The Yankees would face the Toronto Blue Jays each time.
Normally I don’t go to games on a week night since getting home can be an issue. However, one of the attorneys at my firm had an extra ticket to the suite and asked me if I was interested in going. I checked with Ellen to tell her the situation and she did not mind that I went. So after work I met the attorney in the lobby and we headed to Grand Central to get the #4 train to 161 Street – Yankee Stadium. Once we got there we entered the Great Hall, received our promotional item (a Snoopy bobble head) and then headed to the Delta 360 Suite behind home plate. I marveled at the food choices in the suite, as well as the almost 360 degree view of the field and the scoreboard. We were also at the perfect height to see all of the action clearly. As for my stadium grub, I had a great cheeseburger, and then some peanuts (sorry, no crackerjacks) and a coke. We then went to our seats and were joined by a friend of my host and his dad, making it a foursome.
I always buy a program/scorecard when I go to the ball park, to keep score and also to read up on the team in the articles included there. This time was no exception so once we sat down I filled out the lineup for the Blue Jays and the Yankees. Before the Yankees took the field the two national anthems were played on the organ (nobody was hired to do the singing). The Blue Jays drew first blood, taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning. The Yankees came back in the bottom of the inning to tie it at 1-1 and that is where it would stay for the next six innings. Ichiro Suzuki managed to go 3 for 3 into the 8th inning. Alex Rodriguez was 0 for 4 and got booed, especially after his last at bat. Unfortunately, I have to worry about the LIRR schedule and at around 9:55 in the bottom of the 8th inning I told the other members of our foursome that I have to leave to get the subway to head to Penn Station. On the way out I walked through the Great Hall again and on a TV hanging from the wall I saw that Ichiro went 4 for 4 and drove a run in (the bases were loaded when I said my good-byes). The crowd went crazy, as the Yankees went ahead 2-1. I still had to get my train so I had to hurry over to the 161 Street D train station and waited what seemed like forever for the train. Once it came, I sat near two ladies who were also at the game. One conversed with me about the game, the Yankees (especially Yogi Berra), and New Jersey (she was from Matawan). However, she had a pied-a terre in the Village and got off at 7th Avenue to get the E train. I stayed on to 34th & 6th to head to Penn. Unfortunately, the station is a maze, and some passageways were locked. Once I got to the street I ran to Penn but thanks to the wait uptown, and the maze, I missed the 10:28 by 4 minutes. However, a Ronkonkoma train was leaving in 10 minutes and I boarded that one. If Ellen could not pick me up, I would take a cab from Central Islip. However, she said that she would pick me up. So I relaxed and read the Yankees Magazine that I had bought at the Stadium and I was pulling into Central Islip in what seemed like no time. As we were pulling in I saw a couple in Yankees gear and I struck up a conversation with them. Like me they were at the game, and like me they missed the 10:28. They lived in East Islip instead of Islip, and also enjoyed the game.
This was the 4th time I went to a game this year. 
And like the other three times (New York Mets, Long Island Ducks, and Newark Bears) the home team won each time.
