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Game 13: Dodgers 12 – Braves 6

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The matchup: Dodgers vs Braves (6.05.16)
Special Guest: My friend Jihane. This was her FIRST Dodger game.
Snacks: Nacho Helmet AND an Ice Cream Helmet.
Giveaway: Nope. (Unless you were a toddler.)
Memorable Moment: Corey Seager becoming known as “the guy who hits home runs” according to Jihane.

RECAP: This was a game of many firsts. My first Sunday day game of the season. My friend Jihane’s first Dodger game ever. And most importantly, thanks to the magic of Twitter, I was able to bask in the glory of my first Nacho AND Ice Cream Helmets of 2016.

For the record: When we arrived at the stadium, Nacho Helmet was leading 53 – 47%.

DODGER STADIUM NACHO HELMET

Exhibit A for the perfect outdoor Sunday brunch.

However, I had a hunch that a tie could happen by the time the poll closed so I decided I’d to cover my bases.

DODGER STADIUM ICE CREAM HELMET

Exhibit B for the perfect outdoor Sunday brunch. Ice cream always tastes a little better when it’s served in a miniature helmet.

As for the game itself, the Braves got on the board in the top of the first and held their lead for all of two outs. Back-to-back doubles by Adrian Gonzalez and Howie Kendrick in the bottom half of the first evened the score. Kiké Hernandez gave the Dodgers the lead for good when he led off the second with his fourth home run of the season. An inning later, the rout was on thanks to a three run shot from Yasmani Grandal. The scoring would continue throughout the game as Corey Seager belted a pair of home runs, giving him five for the weekend.

With the Dodgers running like a well-oiled machine, Jihane and I ventured out from our shade protected spot and took a little walking tour around the stadium that spanned from the Top Deck down to the Field Level. We made it back to our seats in time to belt out Take Me Out to the Ballgame and watch the Dodger Bullpen give the Braves a glimmer of hope that they could get back in the game.

TODD AND JIHANE

Jihane and I taking a break from the Dodgers’ scoring explosion on the Top Deck. We went up there so she could snag a “First Time at Dodger Stadium” certificate at the Fan Services window.

You couldn’t ask for a better first Dodger experience. Well, technically, I guess you could ask for a better game but Clayton Kershaw no-hitters don’t exactly grow on trees. Plus, the overwhelming lack of drama made for a very chill and stress-free day at the ballpark.

Just the way a Sunday should be.

Game 12: Dodgers 4 – Braves 0

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The matchup: Dodgers vs Braves (6.04.16)
Special Guest(s): Us! Our friend Marc invited us to enjoy the spoils of some tickets that he won.
Snacks: Dodger Dog (x2), Dodger Blonde Ale, Souvenir sized Coke.
Giveaway: Don Sutton retired number pin.
Memorable Moment: Since it was just another ho-hum scoreless Clayton Kershaw outing, we’ll go with seeing a brilliantly executed squeeze play.

DODGERS BEER TAP

The Dodgers Blonde Ale is can be found at the bar next to the Left Field Pavilion.

RECAP: Barely a week after I won a major award through the new Dodger Pride Rewards in-game drawings, our friend Marc, who sits in front of us up in Section 2, hit a jackpot of his own in the form of Field Level tickets. My wife and I joined him along with our mutual friend Leslie for a night down in the Larry King adjacent seats.

With Clayton Kershaw on the mound, we met up extra early to snag seats above the Bullpen Overlook. Like always, it was well worth the wait watch him warm up.

AJ ELLIS AND CLAYTON KERSHAW

A.J. Ellis gets loose while Clayton thinks deep thoughts about all the ways he’ll mow down the Braves.

AJ AND CLAYTON GOING TO WORK

Clayton and A.J. make the walk to the Dodger dugout.

CLAYTON KERSHAW PITCHING

Clayton Kershaw lowered his ERA to 1.46 after throwing six scoreless innings.

The first big dramatic moment of the game came in the top of the second when first base umpire Joe West, yes, that Joe West, called a rather iffy balk on Kershaw to send Jeff Francoeur to second base with nobody out. Once the steam stopped shooting out of his ears, Clayton responded by throwing a pair of strikeouts and inducing a ground out to end the threat. The Braves would get a runner to third the following inning but that would as close as they’d get to putting a run on the board the entire evening.

On the Dodger side of things, Clayton (of course) gave himself all the lead he needed in bottom of the third by knocking a single to the fringe of left field and then hustled in from second off a Justin Turner single. One detail worth noting: Justin changed his walk up song from his long used Turn Down for What. I didn’t recognize his new jam but hopefully it gets him hitting again like the Red Dream we all know and love.

BRIAN WILSON JERSEY

When you spot a fan wearing a Brian Wilson jersey, you gotta take a pic.

LIGHT UP PHONE CASE

Not far from Brian Wilson’s last remaining fan was this pro selfie taker. Check out the light up phone case. It’s Kardashian approved!

Things got a little tense when the Dodger bullpen took the wheel in the top of the seventh. Joe Blanton and Pedro Baez each gave up a hit in their respective innings but were able to bridge the gap to Kenley Jansen.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Dodgers took away any potential ninth inning drama by adding a trifecta of insurance runs. With Turner and Trayce Thompson on the corners, Braves manager Brian Snitker called in Ian Krol to face Joc Pederson. Joc laid down the first pitch he saw and it couldn’t have been a more perfect bunt, landing in the no-man’s land between the mound and second base. Turner scooted home with ease and two pitches later, Thompson and Pederson executed the Dodgers’ first double steal of the season.

And if those offensive fireworks weren’t enough to put a Saturday night Dodger Stadium crowd into a partying mood, our section was treated to an epic lap dance late in the game. A group of ladies in the row behind us were celebrating a birthday and a fellow sitting next to my wife seized the opportunity jump over his seat to get his Magic Mike on. It just wasn’t a couple quick air humps either. The dude went for it to the howls and screams of the birthday girl’s friends and he kept on bumping and grinding her until they all snapped souvenir photos. It was such an impressive display of moves that I fished three bucks out of my pocket so I could make it sprinkle for him but my wife pumped the brakes on that. It was probably a wise decision as the sight of dollar bills likely would have had him ripping off his shirt.

I just hope he’s out of the doghouse by now. The poor guy’s boyfriend was not pleased.

CLAYTON KERSHAW

Kenley Jansen, a millisecond away from getting his 16th save of the season.