The Dodgers opened the game with a three-run first inning.  A walk, a hit batter, a double, two singles, and it’s 3-0.  The Dodger starter, Capuano, a lefty with mid-level stuff, struck out five of the first eight batters he faced.  It looked like a blowout in the making, but L.A. failed to put Pittsburgh away, and after the first two innings, the Pirates dominated the game.  Pitt left a bunch of guys on base, clawed to within one run at 3-2 in the sixth, but couldn’t get over the hump and dropped another one-run game, which probably didn’t hurt as much as the one Halladay and the Phillies inflicted on them earlier in the week, but still, it was a rough trip to Chavez Ravine.

The night was even colder than the previous evening, but my mood was lifted by my first Dodger Dog of the year.  I’ve eaten a lot of ballpark food.  Most of it, to be charitable, is simply not that great.  My cousin Katherine is a staunch supporter of the fish tacos at Petco, but you can only get those in the second level section on the right field side, so if you’re not sitting there, you’re out of luck.  You can get a surprisingly good chocolate shake at the Angels stadium.  That’s where the Albert Pujols Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Southern California off the 5 are located, or whatever the hell the official name of that team is now.  Milwaukee’s park offers a decent brat, Wrigley had chocolate chip cookies one time and it’s Wrigley field so everything tastes better there.  But most of the time it’s soggy fries, poorly re-heated slices of cardboard pizza and $12 Bud Light.  The all-beef, Super Dodger dog is like a beacon in the night, and the best part is that it’s wholesome, all natural and good for you.

Okay, I just did some research on the internet and it turns out to be neither wholesome, natural or healthy.  It is, however, the best ballpark hot dog I’ve ever had.  Since I’ll be attending more Dodger games this season than ever before, though, I think it’s high time I explored more of what the park has to offer.  Not the sushi, though.  If there is one good rule to follow in this life, it has to be not to eat pre-packaged sushi at Chavez Ravine.