NEW CONTRIBUTOR: Michael Stakem at the Nationals

Nationals vs Marlins. (Photos by Michael Stakem)

It’s been a few weeks since I caught a game at Nationals Park with friends from the G-Nats (a gay Nationals fan group) which is a few weeks too long. There is little I enjoy more than spending time with friends watching our town’s well-dressed baseball players hard at work on a hot summer evening.

So I’ve been going to the new ballpark ever since it opened and it wasn’t until the Night Out game this year that I realized just how good the view of the field is from the standing-room only section in straightaway center. For this Tuesday’s game against the Florida Marlins (a.k.a The Fish Sticks) I decided I’d camp out there for the first inning. The first inning wasn’t too bad as the Nats only gave up one run in the top of the first.

It was time to join up with my friends in the G-Nats as random fans in the bullpen probably wouldn’t have been too keen to hear a stranger’s opinion on the game and how its players look. On the way to the group seats I picked up garlic-parmesan fries with bacon aioli dipping sauce for dinner; the food is priced about double what could be charged in a restaurant but that’s ballpark food for you. Anyways, the Nats were being no-hit by the Marlins until the 5th when Laynce Nix smashed a solo HR over the fence in right field. The next inning Michael Morse would double in Ryan Zimmerman giving us our second and final run of the game. Not our best night offensively. And defensively? Well there’s not much to be done when the other team hits safely thirteen times.

Song of note: relief pitcher Ryan Mattheus enters games to Katy Perry’s “Firework”. There was a brief write up on the Nat’s official blog the other week and here’s the short version: he sang along with it at a bar, used it as his walk-on music in the minors, was called up, and has kept entering to it because he’s superstitious. He did okay Tuesday night: two outs and only gave up one hit so maybe it’s helping him out.

Interested in going to a game? This coming Monday August 1st tickets can be had for only $1 and you can get certain food items for $1 (full-priced drinks).

Some sights from the game:

The Nats pitcher tries to pick off one of the Marlins. (Photo by Michael Stakem)

To celebrate the ending of the football lockout the four presidents decided to put a football spin on their race. Teddy was caught and stripped of the ball and Tom would eventually win the race. (Photo by Michael Stakem)

Jayson Werth lines a ball directly to the Marlin's shortstop. (Photo by Michael Stakem)

Top of the 9th and the Marlins go on another run. These three runners would eventually score. (Photo by Michael Stakem)

Michael Stakem has been a Washington Nationals fan since their 2005 inaugural season.