July 4th Special
- Kumar Nambiar
- Jul 6, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 6, 2022
Monday, July 4th 2022, was the perfect day.
We played late on Sunday in Cleveland so we got back to Lansing around 2 AM, which was a quick turn around. Having long bus rides and then playing the next day was typical in the Minor Leagues prior to last year when MiLB introduced the 6-game series and the Monday off day. On Monday, by the time I woke up and ate, it was time to head to the field.
After our pregame workout, batting practice, and scouting report meeting, we had a couple hours of down time. I went through my pregame routine of showering and then getting some reading in. I walked out to the dugout around 5:30 to check out the scene - they opened the gates early - and Jackson Field was already buzzing for a 7 PM start.
Hearing the crowd roar after the anthem gave me the chills. Every seat was filled and although I’m pretty sure the fans were solely there for the post game fireworks show, it didn’t matter. They were in for a show.
For the second year in a row, I got to pitch on July 4th, which have brought out the largest crowds in both Stockton and Lansing. On Monday in Lansing, attendance was reported at over 10,000 - the largest crowd I’ve ever pitched in front of. My collegiate debut at Texas A&M in 2016 was ~only~ 7,000 fans. Here was the stadium yesterday.
Last year in Stockton, we wore jerseys that were auctioned off right after the game. I was also rocking some questionable facial hair at the time. Unfortunately, we didn't have any special uniforms for the 4th this year but here’s a pic from last year.
Our starter showed up on Monday, throwing 6 scoreless innings with 8 strikeouts. He left the game with a 2-0 lead. I entered the game shortly after in the 7th inning with two outs, a runner in scoring position, and the score tied at 2. As I ran out to the mound, they played my walk out song - Call on me by Eric Prydz, the same one I've used since college - and I took my warm up pitches. The Loon's three hitter was coming to the plate with a chance to take the lead.
I went back out for the 8th with the game still tied and threw a scoreless inning: strikeout, ground out, ground out. I try not to pay attention to the stands while I'm on the mound but while I was warming up, a girl got down on one knee and proposed to her boyfriend on the big screen somewhere in the crowd. Everyone went nuts when he said yes. Although the atmosphere in the stadium on Monday was different, I went about my business the same way I normally would: attacking hitters with all three of my pitches.
Our manager had been ejected earlier which only fed into the crowd's energy; the place was buzzing. We scored two runs in the bottom of the 8th to take a 4-2 lead on a clutch two out, two run double. We were three outs away from securing a win against the best team in the league, which would have been huge, but the momentum changed very quickly when the Loon's best hitter hit a two run home run to tie the game in the top of the 9th. Outside of the visitors dugout, the stadium was silent - you could hear a pin drop. It was an unfortunate turn of events, but the game wasn't over yet.
At some point in the 8th inning, the town fireworks started to go off. They had a set time and were scheduled to go off whether our game was finished or not, being set off from literally across the street. It was an unbelievable scene. Pitchers were on the mound trying to concentrate in a high leverage spot with fireworks going off just beyond the stadium. I was already done pitching so I thought it was surreal. Kudos to the guys on the mound who were locked in during it - it had to have been distracting.
This pic is right before his at bat in the bottom of the 9th inning - a walk off three run home run. No doubt, this was the coolest baseball game I have ever been a part of. With fireworks flying into the night, Tyler Soderstrom blasted a curveball over the wall in dead center field sending the stadium into a frenzy. So clutch. At the end of his home run sprint, he was mobbed by the team at the plate and met with three full coolers of gatorade - a lot of which soaked me. The entire sequence was simply crazy: their hitter tying the game, the fireworks in the background, the home run to end it. I wish all of you were there to witness the magic in person.
Here's a link to the homer:
And a link to the gatorade shower:
Both teams and all 10,000+ fans stayed in their seats for the fireworks show. While I was sitting in the grass I couldn't help but think about how lucky I am to be playing baseball on Independence Day and even luckier to have pitched on the holiday back to back years. While most people wouldn't enjoy having to work on a holiday, I am blessed to be able to. Yesterday was the perfect example as to why I feel that way.
We had an off day on Tuesday so the team had a nice celebration back at our apartment after the game. Good vibes all around. We finish up the series with the Loons the rest of the week.
I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend as much as I did! Thanks for reading! Go Nuts.
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