9 to 2.

I love going to games, but I'll admit, the weeknight games can take their toll on me, especially after being up since 5 am, working all day, coming home to pick up my son, and driving back out to the ballpark.

That said, there's nothing like an evening at the ballpark, especially on a nice 65 degree night like we had tonight in San Francisco. Pujols vs. Bonds. Cards vs. Giants. Mark Mulder vs. Jamey Wright.

On paper, it was a mismatch. The journeyman Wright was to face off against Mulder. The central leading Cards against the Giants, 2 games over .500.

But Wright had command of his pitches. In the 1st inning, he had an impressive K of Pujols, dispatching him on 3 straight strikes. His final line was 1 run on 6 hits, 2 BB and 4 K in 8 innings of work, only 102 pitches, saving the Giants pen for a second day - the only member of the Giants' pen to see action was Benitez - and that was primarily because the Giants had loaded the bases in the 8th inning with a 4-1 lead at the time, with the former Padre Mark Sweeney pinch hitting for Wright, and hitting a hard single off the top of the 23 foot RF wall, driving in 2 runs to extend the lead to 6-1.

::

My son and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. After all, baseball is his favorite game, and at the tender age of 5, he has attended more games than I had by the age of 10. It is a magical sight for any child walking into the ballpark, seeing the vast expanse of grass, the aroma of the hot dogs, and here in SF, that of garlic fries.

From a fan interaction perspective, the biggest downside to this ballpark is the prevalence of corporately owned seats. The seats I purchase from a friend are down in the Lower Box, 30 rows from the field, 1B side. Great seats. Unfortunately, we are surrounding by many corporately owned seats, and tonight, sitting behind us were several men in San Francisco on business, their first time at this ballpark. The folks in front of us were also corporate-types, more interested in talking business, paying attention only when Barry came to bat.

I don't mind the corporate ticket holders in the sense that they do help pay for my club (and for most baseball teams in general). But it does impact the general sense of fun in the stands with so many "general" fans as opposed to Giants or Cardinal fans in the stands.

At least no one was standing up in front of me on their cellphone waving to a friend out in the bleachers trying to find them with binoculars.

Randall, we took game 1.