First Starts of the Season: P. Martinez vs. Samardzija

Last night the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs game featured two first starts of the season. For the Phillies, Pedro Martinez was starting for the first time since September 25, 2008. For the Cubs, Jeff Samardzija, Notre Dame’s career receptions leader with 179, was making his first career start.

Obtaining Tickets
I was planning to sit with my neighbors at the game, so I had planned to buy a SRO ticket for $15 rather than deal with scalpers. However, as I approached the Cubs day-of-game ticket office, a man approached me with a ticket in section 220 row 4 (a $56 face value ticket). I told the man I was planning to buy a SRO ticket for $15 and would not pay more than that. He offered me the seat for $20 and I accepted the price feeling bad for the guy.

Buying that seat worked out well, since it gave my neighbors and I a section to gravitate too after we moved from my neighbor’s seats.

The Game
Both pitchers starts could not have been more opposite as the Phillies cruised to a 12-5 victory after scoring eight runs in the fourth inning. Samardzija received the loss allowing seven runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings while Martinez received the win – giving up three runs in 5 innings. Martinez started his first game at Wrigley Field since June 8, 1996 when he was a member of the Montreal Expos.

In the bottom of the 5th inning, Jake Fox hit a sacrifice fly to center field in which Shane Victorino caught. While he caught the ball he was also doused with a beer thrown from a Cubs fan in the stands – another first for me.