the radio broadcast:
1st inning:
"Well, the wind may play a factor in this one tonight. It has been swirling around the ballpark here in Atlanta...other than that, should be a good night for baseball..."
Cargo with a lead-off double, Fowler moves him over to third, Helton walks, Tulo sac fly. 1-0.
2nd inning:
-Steely Dan's "Reeling in the Years" segues into a commercial break, and "Touch of Grey" by the Dead brings us back to the action
-Jack Corrigan tells some bizarre story about doing a college football game in Japan, which was suddenly moved to a baseball field where broadcasters sat in small "port-o-potties" to announce the game
-continuing on the Asian theme, Jerry Schemmel notes how China broadcasts all Houston Rockets games across the entire country, in honor of Glorious Super Excellent Giant Hero Faithful Patriot, Yao Ming.
-then on to how international the sport of baseball has become, with 28% of players on opening day rosters this year born outside the U.S. - "you wonder how long it will be before some of the European players join [the mlb]"
-segue music: "Baseball is Turning Japanese" - tr.16 on the 2008 Los Olvidados Fantasy Baseball Soundtrack
3rd inning:
"The appeal...the umpire says no, he did not go around"..."Ubaldo's been just wild enough that he hasn't gotten the borderline call, because he doesn't deserve the borderline call; he's just been everywhere with his pitches"...."Here's the 3-2 delivery, swung on and missed, strike three! Challenged him that time with that fastball, 97mph. And there are two outs. Boy, just looks like he can still throw strikes. It's gonna be tough to hit him tonight, again..."
"Not that he's been digging at the mound or whatever, but like Jason Hammel last night, it seems like Ubaldo's delivery is not as fluid tonight and you don't know if it's something he's doing, or if the mound is impacting on that..." "You know Jack, I'm with you completely...I think you're right, he seems to have something that's causing him to labor so far." "But, you look up, he hasn't given up a hit yet..."
"It's cold enough that Kawakami now has a jacket on at second base"
- 2 on, 2 out, 2-0 count to Chipper Jones...
"Jimenez trying to settle down and find the strike zone...47 pitches now, 23 strikes and 24 balls...McCann waiting on deck...here's his pitch...that one missed, away, and...there's a throw to second base and OUT! Miguel Olivo! A shot to Tulowitzki and he picks off Kawakami at second base to retire the side. Boy, that's a friend of Jimenez right there: his catcher, Miguel Olivo"
4th inning:
"This place interesting, too, in that it started out as Centennial Olympic Stadium. And then they did a poll to see what the fans thought they should name the new baseball stadium, and of course the fans said we wanna name it Hank Aaron Stadium. But, no, it turned out to be Ted Turner Field. And some in Atlanta, we're told, not real happy about that"
With Hawpe running from first on a 3-2 count, Ian Stewart slices a single to left, splintering his bat, sending a shard into Kawakami's back.
"Hawpe and Stewart have singled, they're at second and first, two outs here in the 4th, a one-to-nothing Rockies lead. Ubaldo hits it up the middle! into centerfield for a basehit! McClouth up with the ball, coming to the plate...Hawpe...he will... SCORE!"
"Kawakami...from the stretch, the pitch - Carlos lines it towards left-center field! ...that's gonna go to the wall! It'll score a pair! Nearly a carbon-copy of his first inning double; a two-run blast from Carlos Gonzalez, it's 4-0 - Rockies"
...
"Ubaldo hasn't been close with any pitch...it's 3-0 to Chipper Jones...and way high again, ball four. Five walks, twelve men into the game." "Oh, and now they're gonna call a balk on Jimenez. Started to raise his body, then stopped"
"That breaking pitch has gone for more strikes than the fastball; he's able to control that one a bit better. 54 pitches and only 24 strikes, yet he's got a 4-0 lead"
"A walk, a balk, and a groundball out to give the Braves a scoring threat here in the 4th...1-2 pitch....SWWWUUUUUUEEEEENNG and a miss! he got 'em with a breaking ball; and that's out number two." "Maybe that's the strategy, Jack, you walk a player so you can get into the stretch and then you can throw 100mph." "Tell you what, he's had better command from the stretch tonight." "I know, I say it tongue-and-cheek, but actually he's been effective that way"
5th inning:
Comparing and contrasting three great left-handed hitters in recent memory:
Todd Helton, Wade Boggs, and George Brett
Double-play ends the top-half of the inning, "China Grove" by the Doobies segues into the break...
"The 2-0 to Heyward is...well, I'm not sure where that one was, but apparently not in the strike zone. 3-0. And that's ball four, not close. Walk number six." "You have to believe walks are gonna catch up to ya; you walk 6 guys in five innings, something bad is gonna happen..."
"Strike one. And here we go, we get in the stretch again and the strikes start coming." "Yeah, almost like - 'just pitch out of the stretch, Ubaldo'". "Of the six walks, three of 'em were on four straight balls"
"Hit to deep center and the wind's gonna knock it down. That ball had the sound of being well hit, but the wind said no-no" [Ha!!!]
"Another strike. I've gotta ask Ubaldo about this tomorrow; it's unbelievable, the difference in his command from the stretch tonight." "3-2 to McClouth ... SWWWWUUUUUEEEENG and a miss he got 'em!"
6th inning:
- commercial break: "You just heard the bottom of the fifth. If you're at the bottom of your fifth, you need to get to Applejack Wine and Spirits...Minutes from anywhere, just off I-70"
"And we'll see the Major League debut of lefty Johnny Venters...he was a 30th rd. pick in the 2003 draft of the Atlanta Braves...finally making his debut and he'll face Ian Stewart."
"No runs...and I'll say it, no hits, so far for the Braves." "Hah. You're new school, I'm old school."
...
Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" leads us into the bottom of the sixth...
"How about this: in the stretch is Jimenez now, Jack, and it's strike one." "Well we've been talking about it...you get yourself in trouble from the windup." "From the Rockies perspective, they'd love Ubaldo to have a quick sixth and possibly seventh and turn it over to the bullpen." "And that is...a called strike three!" "And that gives him one more strike than balls, out of 87 total pitches."
"It's gonna be a 1-2-3 inning for Jimenez as we head to the top of the 7th inning"
7th inning:
Cargo strikes out on three pitches. Fowler hits the ball hard, again, and McClouth runs it down with help from the wind. Dex suffers another 0-fer. Helton follows with a "seeing-eye grounder" for a hit. Tulo grounds out, first pitch swinging once again.
Seventh inning stretch...4-0 Rockies
"He's gonna pitch again from the stretch...[cut in broadcast! two fucking commercials interrupt the game -- mlb must've stolen this call to post on their website -- and we're back with...] ... that was remarkable!"
"Dexter Fowler was maybe a step or so to the right side of secondbase in centerfield, he just outran this baseball, dove and made the catch. His batting gloves fell out of his pockets and all Ubaldo could do was go 'wow!'" "What a catch by Dexter Fowler!...an amazing catch, cuz number one to go spread out like that and also to turn the glove, so as not to lose the ball." "Dex might be as good as there is in centerfield in major league baseball and here's the pitch, there's a liner to center, Dexter Fowler coming on...on the run...MAKES the catch!...at his knees! ANother great running catch -- not quite as spectacular as the last one -- but Fowler gets out number two with that great catch."
"Since he moved into the stretch...Ubaldoo's retired 8 in a row." "Here's the pitch...STRIKE THREE CALLED ON HEYWARD!"
8th inning:
"One out in the Rockies' 8th. Ubaldo Jimenez has thrown 105 pitches, so he will come out for the 8th inning..."
Jack: "The game has featured an RBI single from Ubaldo, the wind taking a couple potential home-runs away from the Rockies, a spectacular catch from centerfielder Dexter Fowler to keep the 'you-know-what' going -- I'm old-school folks, I'm not gonna do it -- I keep tellin' you again and you can read between the lines or ask somebody what I mean when I say there have been six baserunners for the Braves, but they have gotten on-base by walks."
...
"Ubaldo Jimenez has allowed just six walks in the game...Cabrera swings and rolls it to first...out number one on one pitch!"
Fan question: Who is the youngest ROY in the history of the game:
NL - 1984, Doc Gooden - age 19
AL - 1978, Lou Whitaker - age 21
"Strike two called on pinch-hitter Hinske...[crowd boos loudly]...the pitch, SWUUUEEENG and he got 'em! Out number two in the 8th inning. Strikeout number seven for Ubaldo Jimenez. 110 pitches on the night for Ubaldo...To the best of my recollection, Ubaldo's career high in pitches is 127...129 from a year ago."
"The 1-2 pitch, popped up...in foul ground on the right side, and...OLIVO's GOT IT! And we'll go to the ninth! Three outs, four to go [sic] for Ubaldo Jimenez!! The Rockies lead it, 4-0!"
9th inning:
"New pitcher for the Braves is Jesse Chavez...and leading off, most appropriately, Ubaldo Jimenez - who has an RBI single in three tries tonight and a run scored." "Maybe the Skipper said, 'just go out there and make an out and come back'"..."Swing and a miss, he got him."
"Well, the fans here in Atlanta - they know what is going on - it has gotten quiet in this ballpark. Dexter Fowler, 0-4, lined out his last time up, drives this to center field...McClouth going back, and he will grab it. We head to the bottom of the ninth! Rockies- 4, Braves- nothing"
...
"4-0 Rockies, bottom of the ninth, Martin Prado will lead it off. Ubaldo Jimenez has allowed six walks on the night to Atlanta - that's it...first pitch a breaking ball for strike one to Prado. Chipper Jones on deck, Brian McCann to follow. Prado the hottest of the Braves' hitters...The 1-1 pitch...breaking ballllllllll....low, two balls and a strike. 32,602 here wondering if they're gonna see something special. The 2-1 pitch...in the air, on the infield...Clint Barmes calls off Todd Helton. That's out number 25!
"Here's Chipper Jones...outfield straight away and deep for Jones. Last baserunner was a lead-off walk to Heyward in the 5th...The 2-0 to Jones, GOOOOD rip at a fastball and he FOULED it back to the screen. Two balls and a strike. Jimenez takes a deep breath as he again puts that glove on his left knee to lean in for the sign from Miguel Olivo. Now he straightens, working from the stretch, the pitch...in the air towards leftfield, Carlos Gonzalez calls it. That's out number 26!
"Two outs in the Braves' ninth! Brian McCann, the man that stands between Ubaldo Jimenez and history. The Braves fans here come to their feet; in part in recognition for Brian McCann, in part in recognition for Ubaldo Jimenez. First pitch to McCann a breaking ball for strike one! April 5, 1993 the first game in Rockies history. The pitch to McCann, fouled away, strike two! On April 17, 2010 - Ubaldo Jimenez perhaps one pitch away from history! McCann asks for time; rubs the sweat off the top of his forehead. Jimenez patiently waits for him to come back into the batter's box...The 0-2 pitch, fouled away to the left. 125 pitches on the night, in a sometimes erratic but brilliant performance by Ubaldo Jimenez...Now he sets...another 0-2, fouled farther down the left side. Ubaldo taking a slow walk around the mound, holds his arms above his head for a moment. Now he's ready. Another 0-2, bounced it to home-plate [foul]. His heartbeat I'm sure -- as calm as this young man is -- has to be going a little hard right now. Shakes off two, now he's ready, the 1-2 pitch...BOUNCING BALL TOWARDS SECOND, BARMES HAS IT, TO FIRST....IT'S A NO-HITTER!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ROCKIES HISTORY! UBALDO JIMENEZ HAS NO-HIT THE ATLANTA BRAVES! WHAT A NIGHT FOR UBALDO JIMENEZ! MOBBED BY HIS TEAMMATES...ALL THE GUYS FROM THE BULLPEN, RACING IN!
"Jim Tracy made him the ace of the staff in spring training, and on an April night in Atlanta, Georgia on his 128th pitch, Ubaldo Jimenez is into the record books. The first no-hitter in Rockies history! That's why I talked about April 5, 1993 - that's when it began - and tonight, their most spectacular pitching performance!! The final score -- on a no-hit night for Ubaldo Jimenez -- the Rockies- 4, Braves- nothing."
From the stretch, the southpaw shakes off a series of signs...grinding his teeth he...steps off the rubber. The crowd is already getting restless...
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