Trying to remember the 2010 Padres: Game 1 (walk-offs are nice)

I recently read a book where the two principal characters discussed memories of their fathers taking them to their first baseball games. I took a moment to think about this and came to a simple conclusion; I can hardly remember last season let alone the details of a game as a child. 

So...the following series of posts will serve as an experiment... an experiment designed to test my memory of Padres games attended during 2010.

The nature of these posts, being my own game experiences, may be of zero interest to you; therefore I understand any antipathy towards them.

However, if you were at any of these games or remember watching them on the tube then join the wake and eulogize/comment with some memories.

GAME 1 of 18
April 16th, 2010
Padres v. D-backs @ Petco Park



WHAT I THINK I KNOW...

The bookend games are always the easiest to remember.

***
This was the 1st weekend game of the 1st home-stand of the season. I received a free in game program, the first of its kind in San Diego (Blue Print), and promptly discarded it because I had no idea what it was. I later retrieved a copy to complete my set of Blue Prints for the 2010 season. The program name, Blue Print, sounds good; as opposed to Brown Print. Nice work Moorad and Garfinkel.

***

The Padres won on a walk-off HR by Chase Headley. Headley delivered the 3 run walk-off bomb from the left side of the plate after David Eckstein had tied the game on a 2-bagger over the head of a nameless Arizona LF. I had a close up of the Eckstein hit as my seats were down the 3rd base line right below the Jerome's Chair.

I was expecting to hear Pennywise's "Bro Hymn" after the Headley HR but I'm pretty sure I had to settle for Macy Gray.

***
I attended this game with a large group of people and I recall missing some of the nuances of the game because of it. It was a fast game with little action until the later innings. I couldn't say who pitched for Arizona but the pace seems to indicate that Clayton Richard was on the hill for San Diego.

***
It feels good to win... even if it is only April.

Source: My ticket stub and (sometimes) steel trap of a mind.

RESEARCH SAYS...

The final score was 6-3 after the Padres scored 4 in the bottom half of the 9th. Headley's HR came with 2 outs after Adrian Gonzalez had been intentionally walked. I can now recall the conversations surrounding the decision to walk A-Gon and how Chase was going to need to make teams pay for the transgressions. Incidentally... Adrian Gonzalez is no longer a Padre.

***
Heath Bell got the win after entering in the 9th and holding Arizona scoreless. Did they play Breaking Benjamin's Blow Me Away? I would guess not since the Padres were down a couple.

***
It was actually Jon Garland who pitched and the game lagged along finishing in 3:20. Something was telling me that it was actually Garland who pitched but the minute I mentioned the game was at a quick pace I eliminated the possibility of Garland being the starter. I guess my perception of game time was skewed by attending in a more social atmosphere.

***
Attendance--26,632

NOTABLE OMISSIONS...

Arizona's starter was Edwin Jackson but Juan Gutierrez got the loss after blowing the save.

***
San Diego threw Garland, Mujica, Russell, and Bell. Only Bell remains as part of the Padres' staff.

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Kyle Blanks went 2 for 3, finishing the game with a stellar batting average of ...<> .229... this may have been a high water mark for young Kyle Blanks during 2010. He did hit a booming double though and eventually scored... something my memory is now starting to reconstruct.

***
David Eckstein was a key contributor to both the 8th and 9th inning rallies. Scrappy is also one of the departed Padres in 2011.

Source: Baseball Reference & Padres.com

This was fun... let's do it 17 more times!