PREGAME:
After quick call to make sure we could leave the car in valet until after the game, grabbed some breakfast at Tim Horton’s. We voyaged down Yonge Street to the Temple of Hockey and gaze upon Lord Stanley’s Cup. The Hockey Hall of Fame located in the lower level of Brookfield Place, gives it a very odd feel at first feels like it’s just another store front. Consisted of about 20 or 30 bigger contributors like Gretzky, Orr, Hull, Howe, Lemeiux, etc. in the front section. IIHF Hall focuses on world play, Olympics, and leagues outside North America. Hockey Year in review has exhibits of current champions in the various leagues. There were also a mock up of the Montreal Canadians locker room, History of the hockey uniforms, history of the Stanley Cup, collectibles exhibit, broadcast history, and interactive try it yourself area with broadcast booth, be the goalie, or shoot the puck sections. The Great Hall is in a former Bank of Montreal building and holds all the major trophies, most importantly Lord Stanley’s cup, as well as glass etchings of all the honorees.
After the HHOF we wandered the city, unable to locate Mill Street Brewery for a tour and lunch. Ended up along the harbor toward the stadium and found Steam Whistle Brewery but by then were to hungry so we grabbed lunch at Penelope at pretty nice Greek restaurant were able to just get in a lunch order. Prices were very reasonable and the food was excellent.
GAME:
Rogers Centre is what it is, and that’s a Multipurpose Stadium. In a league that has almost completely switched to parks designed specifically for baseball, it can’t compare. That said the hotel in the outfield would be excellent to stay in as well as its down town location right next to the CN Tower. All in all the facility is quite nice.
Eveland did not start well loading base with two walks before getting Kubel to dribble the ball right back at him for the 3rd out. In the bottom when Overbay struck out the crowd booed and a couple of yelled overpaid. A home run by young in the second was answered in the by a two run homer in the bottom by Bautista. The BooJays were loud in the 4th when the Jays looked liked they were playing tee ball. With Hudson and Mauer on third and first, Overbay was unable to stop a Morneau ball hit right at him. But that was only the beginning Cuddyer was called safe at first the crowd and Dave believed it was a bad call. I thought I saw Overbay drop the ball, confirmed later by mlb.com. Either way Morneau took off for third and Overbay’s attempt to throw him out went wild and Morneau scored. Cuddyer ran to second and that throw was also dropped. Cuddyer also took third on a past ball to Kubel. The bottom started with Bautista hitting the ball with his check swing and called out when the thrown ball hit him the back for another round boos and didn’t get any better. The chats of “Overpaid“ and replacing lets go Bluejays with “lets trade Overbay,” continued in the 5th when he again ended the inning. In the 6th we were privileged enough to witness the Worlds Fastest Ground Crew …. Really!?, Really!? its AstroTurf, of course they are the fastest. Morneau polished off a career day and the Jays with two home runs a solo in the sixth and a two run in the eighth.
Leaving was much less eventful than entering Toronto, driving down to Buffalo, NY. Hardest the thing trying to calculate litres to gallons in my head.
