Going to Red Sox Game w/ Chief

This was a historical game between the Boston Red Sox and the Seatle Mariners. It was a big game for so many reasons for me. This was my first game with the man I admire and call Chief. Games out come was not important, it was being at the ball park with good company and amazing feeling of being in Fenway Park. Get your beers and hotdogs and you are good to go.

Chief took me around the park and showed me what's new. My first time in Fenway Park we were playing against Colorado Rockies. Since then Park changed alot. They are doing a great job Chief said, 10 years ago this place was a dump, now I enjoy more and more coming here to watch a good baseball game. We were by the 3rd base and real close to the players.

When Daisuke Matsuzaka took the mound at his new home ballpark, he immediately faced an old adversary from his homeland. The Boston Red Sox's prized offseason acquisition from Japan made his Fenway Park debut tonight against the Seattle Mariners, the first batter he faced Ichiro Suzuki. Fist pitch! STRIKE! Second pitch! STRIKE! Whole stadium was on their feet chanting, flashing photos. It was unbelievable!

Then it was a full count, we were all on our feet waiting for him to strike out... Then...

Yes, he STRIKED him out! Crowd goes crazy, my heart beating fast, I was so sure that we were going to win the game and go into the history books. Dice-K was impressive but maybe he was nervous, may be it was the cold weather that he is not used to but this was supposed to the coming out party for Daisuke Matsuzaka, not Felix Hernandez.

Japanese media packed the press box for Matsuzaka's home debut, Boston's mayor presented the Red Sox with a street sign in Japanese and ads in the ballpark welcomed the new star to Fenway in his native tongue. Once the game started, though, Hernandez proved to be every bit his match.

Hernandez held Boston hitless for seven innings and finished with a one-hitter to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 3-0 victory over the Red Sox. Matsuzaka's arrival on the Fenway mound has been globally hyped since the Red Sox paid $103 million to acquire his rights and sign him. The anticipation only grew when he allowed one run and struck out 10 in seven innings in his first major league outing. It was history in the making non the less. Hanging out with Chief even made it better. Chief kept telling me we might witness a rare No-hitter but THE SINGLE BY BOSTON RIGHT FIELDER J.D. DREW IN THE EIGHTH INNING ENDED SEATTLE'S FELIX HERNANDEZ' NO-HITTER.

For me it was a great game in many levels, not winning that night did not make my spirit go down. I would have loved to see Big Papi, J. Varitek (on his b-day!), and M. Ramirez to hit but that's OK. They smoked them the night before, so there.

baha