Saturday

Another good day for baseball in Wisconsin. Very good.

Game 3 of the NLDS was Tamala's first Brewers game of the season, and the first game ever in Miller Park for my mom and me. We felt slightly guilty about this, given the level of excitement over this series among fans. But through the generosity of a family friend, we found ourselves sitting at a patio table overlooking left field on Saturday evening - food vouchers and postseason towels in hand. Before finding our seats, we took a walk around the park. It was interesting to compare Miller Park with County Stadium. Everything at Miller Park feels much slicker. There's an espresso cart. Espresso cart! Why, back in my day...

This was the first time I'd attended a playoff game for any sport, fairly surprising given my alternating years of obsessive baseball, hockey, and basketball fandom. I don't plan to let it be my last. The energy in Miller Park was great on Saturday. Every strike thrown by Milwaukee was cheered loudly. Nearly every pitch sent the towels twirling; twirling speed and fervor was governed by the count. The game was one of the best I could have hoped for - the Brewers never trailed, but the lead was never secure enough to allow for complacency. There were disappointments and scares, but never calamity. And when the final strike was thrown, the stadium erupted. All the way to the car, everyone was cheering and yelling and high-fiving each other. Never before have I been fived so many times. My favorite drunken cheer overheard outside: "Two! More! Games! It's not! That! Much!" No matter what happens on Sunday, at least we took Game 3.

Not only did the Brewers win, but my pick of the Italian Sausage won the Sausage race in the 6th inning. Yes, it was a good night.