A Loss

I knew today would be a sad day no matter what.

If the Indians lost the World Series, I’d be sad – and I am.

They were up three games to one and left so many men on base. Their pitching was so good and then the silent Chicago bats came to life. There was stunning defense in the infield and three stooges plays in the outfield.

I almost went to bed last night when Chicago was up 5-1. I watched the Indians score two – but only two when it felt like it should have been more – to come back to 5-3.

Even though they didn’t score more that inning, the tide felt like it had turned. Until Chicago scored their sixth. Then it felt hopeless. 6-3 in the eighth.

My brother texted me “good night”. He wasn’t going to bed but he didn’t want to have the television on a second past the final out.

And then the Indians scored three runs and it was 6-6. Why couldn’t they score just one more. They had plenty of chances.

Extra innings.

A rain delay.

Well after midnight here in Cleveland just a few miles from where the game was being played.

I let the dog out during the rain delay. It was only sprinkling here.

I let her in and wiped off her paws in time to see the tarp come off the infield and the game ready to start back up.

Chicago put two more on the board. I don’t understand some of the decisions that led to it. Perhaps it could have been just one run if they hadn’t … but they had.

8 – 6 heading to the bottom of the tenth.

 

The Indians scored one run and lost 8-7.

Why’d you come back from 5-1 to lose 8-7?

Such a great game.

Such a great finish to the World Series.

Such a great finish to a great season.

My brother bought tickets for his family, my family, my sister and father to go to a game in August.

It was a fireworks night against the Angels.

The Indians were leading the league in August, they set a record for stolen bases that night, they won decisively, and it was a fireworks night.

There were more people in the stadium on Saturday to watch a game on the scoreboard screen being played in Chicago than there were at that home game in August.

There’s something about Cleveland fans.

We’ve been through it so many times before.

Sure, you’re winning now but you’re going to lose. If you’re a fan you can feel it.

When the Indians lost game five in Chicago, people from other cities said, “it’ll be better to win at home.”

But we knew.

You can’t count on that. You have to win and get it over with.

If I believed in karma, I’d think, “yeah, this is what it feels like to be a Golden State fan. To be up 3-1 with everything going right and then have everything go wrong.”

But I don’t believe in karma.

There were so many opportunities to win last night. So many opportunities to win the World Series for the first time in my lifetime.

We didn’t. I’m a bit sad.

But it also occurs to me that if the Indians won the World Series I’d be sad too.

I’d be sad because Kim had suffered with me through two World Series that the Indians had lost.

For her to suffer through this one with me would have been fun. For her to have missed the one where they won it all would have been sad.

Sad either way.

Sad with a win. Sad with a loss.

I guess either way I’d spend today thinking about a loss.