Instant Karma
On Friday night, Lehigh Valley set a franchise record by scoring 13 runs and tied a franchise record by pounding out 18 hits in a 13-3 win over the PawSox.
Anyone mind if I write about something else?
Boston’s game at Fenway Park was considerably more exciting. A 2-out home run in the bottom of the 9th by Jason Bay off of Mariano Rivera forced extra innings, and a towering blast by Kevin Youkilis over the Green Monster in the 11th inning gave the Red Sox a 5-4 win.
It you believe in Karma — the notion that good deeds have an impact on future experiences — than I’m here to tell you that Youkilis deserved his extra inning heroics.
On Thursday night, I attended a fundraiser for “Raising A Reader,” an organization that helps get children’s books into the hands of low-income families. Youkilis and his wife Enza were there to help host the event in assocation with his charitable foundation “Hits for Kids.”
On a night off for the Red Sox, Youkilis could have very easily said a few words and made a graceful exit, but he stayed for the entire program while signing countless autographs and posing for dozens of pictures (including one with yours truly).
I’ve gotten to know Kevin through our mutual ties to the University of Cincinnati (he went to school there and I’m UC’s broadcaster for football and basketball) and I can honestly say that he understands the power of celebrity as well as any athlete I’ve met. By spending a few hours mingling with strangers on Thursday night, he helped raise thousands of dollars for kids.
That’s good Karma to the tune of a .433 average, 5 HR, and 13 RBI in Boston’s first 16 games.
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It was good to have Chris Carter back in the PawSox lineup on Friday, but a bit strange to see him at first base. After all, he did not play that position in a single game last year.
That was the inspiration for “Stump Steve.” We played “the list” and I asked him to name 6 of the 8 players who appeared at first base for Pawtucket last year (and I gave him one incorrect answer).
He was only able to get four: Jeff Bailey, Sandy Madera, Jeff Natale, and Gil Velazquez.
He incorrectly guessed Joe Thurston and Bryan Pritz.
The others were Brandon Moss, Sean Casey, Chad Spann, and Jason Lane.
Hyder’s record falls to 7-5.
We’ll be busy on Saturday. We’re on the air with PawSox Insider from 2-3 and then back on the air with the pregame show at 6:50. Hope you’ll tune in.
I’d love to hear from you. The address is dhoard@pawsox.com.
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