First Day, First Grade

Meeting Ms. Hill

Pablo: "I licked this." Reminds me of Brick Tamland.

JATO Finale: World Cup Crazy Sock Day

World Cup game-planning.

The World Cup qualifier (a pass is required).

The World Cup winner: Blue (for the second time, apparently).

Scoring on one end, defending on the other. Aunt Carolyn's lovin' it.

Soccer Camp: Day One

Emilio is staying with Grandmother and Granddaddy this week and attending JATO soccer camp. Our photo-correspondent Aunt Carolyn sent us the photos below, which were taken at today's practice.
Dad says the day's first order of business was dividing the campers into their respective age groups. There are about a dozen in the 5-and-6 year-old group with Emi.
At the end of the day, there was some game playing. Aunt Carolyn titled the above shot of Emilio playing defense: "Like Glue."
Aunt Carolyn titled this shot "Another score." When I spoke to Emilio after practice today, he didn't mention anything about scoring goals, so after I got these photos I had to call and get more details from Mom and Dad. To sum up, it sounds like Emilio is up to his old tricks.

Dad says Emi's coach encouraged him to stay on his feet, but the above shot is still my favorite. Aunt Carolyn titled it "Emi scores."
Dad says Emilio always volunteers to go first, and he is doing a good job of following instructions (for the most part).

Emi told Mari he almost drank this whole jug of water. I'm going down to Texas on Thursday, so I'll be able to watch the final day of camp on Friday. I can't wait!

Emi's First Game at the Ballpark

Any Rangers fan's first game at the Ballpark will be memorable, but this father-son outing was more than we could have imagined.
Starting Rangers pitcher Roy Oswalt throws three balls to start the game before working a full count on Twins centerfielder Denard Span. He eventually gets the out.
The score is still tied 0-0 in the top of the fourth when lightning strikes so near the stadium that players immediately sprint from the field. We stay in our seats. Click here for MLB's video account of the lightning strike. The video below shows the same.

We are on the first covered row on the first base line, which is fortunate when the rains start to fall.
The game eventually resumes after a 43-minute delay. Oswalt ends up pitching 5 and 2/3 innings and allowing one run before yielding the mound to rookie Tanner Scheppers. By the bottom of the ninth, we are down 3-0. Second baseman Ian Kinsler reaches second on a throwing error, takes third on a wild pitch to Andrus, and scores when Andrus grounds out. Hamilton pops out for the second out, and then Beltre singles on a soft fly to left field bringing up the tying run, right fielder Nelson Cruz. Cruz immediately acquires two strikes.

Down 1-2 in the count, Cruz doubles to move Beltre to third. And then, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, down 0-2 in the count after fouling off the first two pitches he sees, with the Rangers down by two, Michael Young hits a 2-RBI single to right field to tie the game.

Going, going . . .

Not gone. In the bottom of the tenth, with two outs and the score still tied, Josh Hamilton flies out to centerfield.
In the bottom of the thirteenth, Michael Young doubles on a line drive to right field and the Twins intentionally walk David Murphy (?!) Mike Napoli is up.

Napoli singles to load the bases. Craig Gentry grounds into a force out. Young is out at home. The bases are still loaded when Kinsler comes to bat and gets down 1-2 in the count.

Murphy scores on the game-winning rbi in the 13th by Ian Kinsler. Emi is wearing the right jersey.
Click here for MLB's full account of the game.

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