The Ultimate Marlins Fan Crashes The MLB Fan Cave: Part 6

Jun 9, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Miami Marlins catcher Miguel Olivo (21) high fives third base coach Joey Espada (4) in front of New York Mets relief pitcher Robert Carson (73) after hitting a two-run home run during the tenth inning of a game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

I’ve met players, got to watch a lot of baseball games on the Cave Monster, hung out at the Fan Cave, met some great people in the Cave, and got to see parts of New York, can this trip get any better? Oh yea it can! After all that I still got to see the Marlins play the Mets at Citi Field. That game took place on June 8, 2013, and oh what a game it was!

My wife and I woke up around 10 am and made our way to the subway and headed to Citi field. When we arrived at the park I noticed that there were a few people wearing Marlins gear, which made me feel right at home. After we walked around the outside of the stadium for a bit we made our way into the stadium. Once in the stadium, we walked the grounds to get a feel for the place. It is a nice park; food everywhere, drinks, gift shops, and the walls covered with Mets history. When we got to our seats we noticed we were only 3 rows away from the field! Thank you MLB Fan Cave for the great seats! Little did we know that we were going to be part of Marlins’ history.

Jun. 19, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez reacts as he leaves the game in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The game started with Jose Fernandez vs. Matt Harvey. The 1^ST inning was very calm with no runs scoring at all. We began talking to the fellow fans around us. I love when other team fans, when they find out I’m a Marlins fan, say they feel sorry for me. I don’t feel sorry, I’m a Marlins fan and will always be. We have our ups and downs, but I will be a fan through the good times and bad times. When I told them this, it garnered a lot of respects from the Mets fan around us. Then in the 2^nd inning Jose gave up a run, and the Mets were up 1-0. When the run scored, the Park went crazy! Later, they end up wishing they would have saved their energy; we still have a long way to go.

The 3^rd became a very uneventful inning (I’m going to be saying that a lot about this game, aren’t I?). Then in the 4^th Chris Coghlan hit a sac fly, scoring Derek Dietrich. Though in the 5^th this game might have ended a lot sooner but Adeiny Hechavarria was out at the plate. Can you imagine if Adeiny wasn’t tagged out and we took the lead? The game might have ended much sooner. But it all worked out in the end, and it allowed me to be a part of Marlins history (but we will get to that).

In the 6^thnothing happened, then in the 7^th zip, followed by the 8^th with nada, and the 9^th was zero. Jose was a strikeout machine, though, and earned a total of 7 strikeouts in 7 innings. Off to extra innings! The 10^th was close but no cigar, the 11^th no one pass 1^st base, and in the 12^th the Marlins went 3 up and 3 down. The bottom of the 12^th got very interesting when the Mets had a runner on 3^rd with one out. The Mets fans were on the edge of their seats. Well… the ones who stayed, the parked started to clear out around the 8^th. Up came Lucas Duda who popped up to Marcell Ozuna. Oh no, a sac fly to win the game! Not on Ozuna’s watch, who gunned down Marlon Byrd to get him out at home! Big props to Rob Brantly, who got run over by Byrd and still held onto the ball. YAY MORE BASEBALL!!!!!

So here we are the 13^th and guess what happened? That’s right, nothing special. Onto the 14^th and you guessed it, we move on to the 15^th. At this time I noticed that the Blue Jays vs. Rangers game was entering the 18^th inning tied 3-3. I bet April and Mina were at the edge of their seats back at the Fan Cave. Which got me thinking I wonder how Travis is doing right now back at the Cave? I’m taking a wild guess and saying his heart is in his throat just like mine was. On to the 16^th where we get a big 1 hit inning with no runs. At this point, the Blue Jays vs. Rangers game ended with a Jays walk-off. I bet April was happy with the walk-off pie in her face! Mina, I’m sorry I brought you and the Rangers no luck this trip. Now I wanted the Marlins and Mets to pass that mark of 18 innings that the Jays and Rangers just had.

We enter the 17^th and the Mets fans started chanting “Let’s Go Home” to the tune of “Let’s Go Mets.” Why would you want to go home? Extra innings is more baseball, and I’m ready to stay till my flight leaves the next day. Once again, not much happens and we go into the next inning. Here we are in the 18^th, am I going to get my wish to pass the Jays/Rangers game? You know it, as we are off to the 19^th. So we pass the Jays/Rangers game, can I push my luck and have a Marlins win too? Let’s see.

Jun 21, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Steve Cishek (31) prepares to deliver a pitch against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning at AT

The Marlins begin their 19^th inning with a pop up, then follow it with two strike outs. We enter the bottom of the inning and the Mets fair no better, going 1-2-3. The last out was a pop fly to Justin Ruggiano, who threw the ball into the crowd, and guess who got that ball? THAT’S RIGHT, I DID! I have a game used ball from the Mets/Marlins game that would become a part of Marlins and Citi Field history Finally, we enter the 20^th. With a Hech single, Placido Polanco scored from second and the Marlins took a 2-1 lead! We enter the bottom with Steve Cishek coming in to close out this marathon of a game. He sat down the Mets 1-2-3. BALL GAME! MARLINS WIN IN 20, 2-1!

The reason this game became a part of history is because it was the longest game in both Marlins and Citi Field history. It lasted 6 hours and 25 minutes. I was there to watch it live! That is awesome! Not only that, but I got a game used ball from that game. After all that, I headed back to the Fan Cave to see the last few games of the night. Join me next time as I finish up my time at the MLB Fan Cave. Till next time as always… Let’s Go Marlins!

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