Homerun Headlines

It was indeed a great day for a ball game.

I was happy to have been one of the three-to-four thousand people to take in the home opener of your Edmonton Capitals last night, at Telus Field.

It did get a little chilly by the end of the game, but it ended with edge of your seat stuff so it doesn’t matter.

Telus Field is a nice ballpark to take in a game of minor league baseball. And the neat thing about a league like the Golden Baseball League (of which the Capitals find themself in the North division) is that you never know when you’ll spot a former major leaguer. Like Caps starting pitcher Lou Pote.

Now, old Lou may lost a little since his days with the World Series champion Anaheim Angels (2002) but he started the game strong enough. He did give up three runs in the fourth to give Maui the lead. But the bullpen finished out the game with a “W.”

Homeruns are always a great part of seeing basbeball live. And the Capitals didn’t disappoint in their first appearance in Edmonton this season. Matt Rogelstad blasted a two-run shot to close the gap to 3-2 in that same fourth inning.

Maui put up another run in the fifth and things quietly coasted, with Edmonton catching up with a run in the sixth (another dinger! from Matt Collaro), then tying it in the seventh.

The sun had gone down, the park lights were shining brightly, that chill was in the air, but the Capitals started putting players on the bases in the bottom of the ninth.

Even with two-outs, you get excited about the potential for an end of the game victory.

Third baseman Cliff Brumbaugh didn’t let us down. The crowd’s energy picked up and Brumbaugh smacked the ball far enough to get him to first and Steve Brown to come sliding into home. The ball had also made its way home but Brown was just a little faster. The crowd cheered, the Capitals players ran onto the field and the first game of the 2010 home season was a win!

Now, if they can keep winning and make this 4-10 start to the season a distant memory… They’ve got more chances this week against Maui, and the Capitals continue their homestand through the first half of June.

And I’d be a poor friend to you if I didn’t mention that Thursday night’s game against Maui is Bryan Hall Luau night. If you wear a Hawaiian shirt you have a chance at winning tickets to see Edmonton take on Maui in Hawaii. Or Bryan Hall roasts you a pig, or something.

While we’re talking sports (of the non-Eskimos, non-Oilers nature) FC Edmonton announced some of the teams it will be taking on in its exhibition season. That’s right, we’ve got a soccer team too.

from the Edmonton Journal:

Election of Alberta school boards challenged (Perhaps they won’t be run by elected trustees in the near future.)

Province’s controls on teen access to tobacco ‘second class’

Edmonton housing market ‘relaxed’ (Look, it’s just put its feet up for a while. It can’t work all of the time, get off it’s back.)

Sticking with places to live: Affordable housing for whom? and Gas leak forces out families

Downtown library needs a new jacket

Sense of pride, stricter enforcement behind city initiative to clean up yards

Alberta maintains triple-A rating (This is about borrowing power of the provincial government, not baseball.)

PBS fans protest as Shaw cable pulls Detroit off analogue

Massive new Hole’s garden complex not for green thumbs only

from the Edmonton Sun:

New rules for mall cops

Bar fined for fire-code infractions

from 630CHED/iNews880:

Expressions of hunger at City Hall

Rally supports Gaza Freedom Flotilla

from CBC Edmonton:

Armed sheriffs guard Alberta upgrader hearing (Because you know who the most dangerous people are? People who are engaged in regulatory debates.)

Alberta gets keys to 18 new schools

Police officer suspended for 2005 fight

Victory in Leduc, Alta. elevator saga (If you run a building, make sure the elevators work.)

from CTV Edmonton:

Province looks to reduce the use of plastic bags

Cyclists, skateboarders ticketed in sidewalk campaign (The sidewalks on Whyte and Jasper Avenues are for feet only. Meanwhile…police are also trying to encourage us to be safer on our feet.)

Locals believe they have a plan to clean up the oil spill

from Global Edmonton:

Folkies line up

Grey Cup tickets (Both of these items are hot tickets.)