Summer days

The Brewers had one of their big guys at the plate with a chance to tie the game with one swing, but All-Star Ryan Braun authored a fittingly frustrating end to the first half. (more)

So true, on multiple levels this summer.

There’s little more fun than loading up the car and going to the ballpark for some tailgating and a Sunday ball game between two of the league’s best (and two of my favorite) teams. It was the annual gathering with members of my mom’s side of the family -- all 27 of us, ranging in age from 85 years old to 4 weeks old. And there were quite a few more who couldn’t make it.

We had Phoebe dolled up in her pink Brewers outfit and pigtails. The weather was gorgeous. We had about-perfect seats on the first base side. Plus, the laughs and banter within our gang are always good and plenty …


If only the Brewers could have provided a little more excitement …

The tone was set early when Manny Ramirez came to the plate with one on and one out in the top of the first inning. He drove a ball deep to right center fielder and Corey Hart misplayed it, allowing it to drop just short of the wall and giving Ramirez an RBI-double …

Manny, by the way, was heavily booed before his first-at bat. But love him or hate him (I think he’s an idiot for using performance-enhancing drugs, but I still love to watch him), the dude can definitely still hit and play ball.

After Ramirez doubled, Mike Cameron bobbled a ball in center field allowing Manny to score and the Dodgers to go up 2-0.

Later, Brad Ausmus homered. Orlando Hudson homered twice and Manny was 3-for-3 with two doubles … The Dodgers had a 6-0 lead by the middle of the seventh inning and the ballpark was already emptying.

Finally, the Brewers showed a little life in the bottom of the seventh on back-to-back doubles by Cameron and Bill Hall that helped Milwaukee get its first two runs on the board. They had two more in the eighth, but that would be the end.

Braun popped out with two runners on to finish the game and his disappointing 0-for-5 day.