1:03: Here we go. They are going through the starting lineups, and there's Jacoby! They haven't released the starting lineups yet, but since he was the second outfielder they featured, there's a good shot he'll be a starter.
1:05: Erin Andrews is in the house!!
1:10: We're underway. Jacoby is making the start for Team USA in left field. He will lead off, but Team USA is the home team, so we'll see him at the plate in a minute.
1:13: Team World is off to a good start. They've already scored a run thanks to a double by Chin-Lung Hu.
1:20: Thanks to a strikeout and a popup, Team USA is out of the inning.
1:23: Jacoby is retired on a chopper to the second baseman that he almost beat out. Team World second baseman German Duran threw him out. Centerfielder Justin Upton comes to the plate.
1:25: Upton goes down on strikes. Here comes Evan Longoria. No relation to Eva.
1:27: Evan doubles of the wall in right, took third on a wild pitch by Rick Vanden Hurk. Ian Stewart would ground out to the pitcher to end the inning, and Team USA would get nothing across in the first.
1:33: German Duran, the leadoff man for the World team in the second, flies out to our man Jacoby Ellsbury in left.
1:35: There has been a bird sitting in front of the pitchers mound for about five minutes. I'm thinking that one of these pitches it's going to get scared and Chuck Lofgren is going to pull a Randy Johnson.
1:38: Lofgren gets out the inning, stranding Robinson Diaz on second. The bird is still on the field, but a little bit towards the third base foul line now.
1:40: Steven Pearce flies out to shortstop Chin-Lung Hu, but not before third baseman Freddy Scandoval got involved. Score that one a a F-6/5. Nice recovery by Hu.
1:44: Apparently the signal has been lost on my television. This sucks. Hopefully I will regain it shortly.
1:50: Looks like I'm going to have to go to plan B: MLB.com GameTracker. So uh, looks like the USA Team got a triple, but couldn't get the run across. Here comes Team World to the plate.
1:53: Yes! TV is back. Well, it appears that the ESPN crew has figured out there is a bird on the field. The feathered fellow got some air time, then the catcher Bryan Anderson shooed him about five feet off the field. He should be back in a few minutes.
1:55: What do you know, Team World has aother run across, and no out. No, wait! A strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play puts two outs on the board, and while I was typing, team USA first baseman Steven Pearce snared a line drive that was headed into the corner for a base hit. Team USA recorded three outs in a solid 45-seconds, and we're headed for the bottom of the third.
1:59: Woo-hoo. There's Erin interviewing the Team USA pitcher that came off the field. This guy is in the Yankees organization, and got to work with Roger Clemens when he was training for the bigs. Erin is also sure to bring up the bird out in front of the mound. The guy sounds pissed. I would be too. They wouldn't leave. 2:00: Here comes Jacoby. He gets in a hole quick, 0-2, and Fautino De Los Satos gets Ellsbury on a strike three called.
2:00: After Ellsbury's strikeout, Justin Upton goes yard on the first pitch he saw. He ripped it into the left field seats, and the score is now 3-1 in favor of the International folks.
2:05: Ian Stewart flew out to left field. Apparently he married his manager's daughter. Good move? You decide.
2:09: De Los Santos gets Brent Lillibridge to foul tip to end the inning.
One of the main reasons I wanted to watch this game was to see how Jacoby stacked up against other Minor League prospects. Obviously, lots of these guys haven't got the experience of playing games in the Majors yet like Jacoby has, but there are still a lot of talented players. Jacoby hasn't had a chance to show off his arm yet, but his 0-for-2 at the plate is the worst of his fellow Team USA outfielders. Justin Upton, playing center field, took one deep to left, and Jay Bruce has tripled. Upton will now be replaced in center by Colby Rasmus. Upton and Bruce have both shown off their arms, and they both have guns. Maybe Jacoby will get a chance later in the game, but I still don't think Jacoby has an Ichiro-type arm. He excels in the speed category.
2:17: Max Ramirez doubled on a ball hit towards Jacoby in left. Jacoby played it well off the wall, but I have a feeling the throw into second could have been better. It would of been a tough play however, it was a solid rip to the gap for Ramirez.
2:19: Team World gets another run on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Gonzalez to center field, and they extend their lead to 4-1. The third out is recorded on a groundout by Freddy Sandoval, and we're headed into the bottom of the fourth. This is supposed to be a seven inning game, by the way. I forgot to mention that.
2:27: Henry Sosa takes over on the hill for the Team World Futures, and he sits Team USA down 1-2-3. He threw 11 pitches, and since every pitcher only throws one inning, his day is over. He made it look so easy. Jacoby will lead off for Team USA next time they come to the plate.
2:31: One down in the top of the fifth, and the batter is Joey Vitto, teammate of Kevin Gunderson down in Myrtle Beach. He grouds out, and there's quickly two down for the World Futures. A pop fly to center ends the inning, and Jacoby is due up to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for Team World. Every at-bat Jacoby has had so far has been in the lead off position.
2:37: Jacoby takes the first pitch he sees to first baseman Joey Votto, and he is retired for the first out. Jacoby is having a tough time reaching base so far this game. Hopefully he stays in the lineup the rest of the way through.
2:39: In the shadows of Jacoby's strikeout, John Whittleman goes yard with another home for USA. That cuts the Team World lead to 2 runs, and Team USA is within striking distance.
2:49: The Whittleman home run would be the only offensive production Team USA would get in the bottom of the fifth, but the two run deficit would not last for long. Joey Votto, leading off for Team World, homers to left field, right over Jacoby's head. Ellsbury was tracking the ball like he could make the catch against the wall or on the track, but the wind must have carried it over the fence. That moves the score to World 5, USA 2.
2:54: Just saw a hilarious commercial for the ESPY's. I can't wait... they're next Sunday (the 15th) on ESPN.
2:58: Woo! And here's Erin with Jacoby. She gives him some crap about his first at bat, then asked him about his experiences with the Red Sox. He said the experience was a good way to get the first few games out of the way in the majors, and now he knows he can perform at that level. He said he's hungry to get back, and I can't blame him.
3:00: Every position player has made an appearance in the game, so it looks like Jacoby will be playing for the duration.
3:12: Team USA failed to get anything across in the sixth, so they're going to have to get it done in the bottom of the seventh, when Jacoby will lead off an inning yet again.
3:14: As of right now, Team USA is going to have to put up four runs in the bottom of the seventh if they want to tie this up-- James Van Ostrand homered to left field, again over Jacoby's head. It's now World 6, USA 2.
3:23: Wladamier Balentien picks up an RBI double into left center, and Team World now leads 7-2. Two down, Joey Vitto at the plate. He homered in his last AB.
3:27: Joey wound up striking out, and here comes Jacoby. Hopefully he'll get a hit out of this game.
The first pitch is inside for a ball, the second pitch is called a strike, a little outside. The third pitch is outside, ball 2, and the fourth pitch was foul tipped. The fifth pitch is outside for a ball, and pitch #6 was fouled off down the line. Full count. Jacoby fouled off another pitch to stay at 3-2. One more, still 3-2. That's the eighth pitch from Rich Thompson. Again, the 3-2 pitch is fouled off. The tenth pitch of the at bat is a curveball, taken by Jacoby for strike three called. Questionable call. Jacoby will end up 0-for-4 on the day. Still, a good at bat for Jacoby to battle for ten pitches.
3:32: Colby Rasmus flies out to left for the second out, and we're going to have a pitching change for Team World. The new pitcher will enter the game with a five run cushion, only needed one out to win the game.
3:33: Emiliano Fruto will take over for Team World, and he'll be facing John Whittleman, who homered earlier in the game.
3:36: Fruto surrenders a walk, and Team USA is still alive. Ian Stewart, who is 0-for-4 today, is looking for his first base hit of the game.
3:37: Stewart flies out to center, and this game is over. Final Score: Team World 7, Team USA 2.
Ellsbury finished the game 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
That's all, folks.
--JB--