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Admittedly, it had been way too long since I was able to take in my last Major League Baseball game.
However, this past Sunday I managed to make the trek to PNC Park in Pittsburgh to watch the Pirates receive a gift-wrapped 3-2 victory thanks to an error by Baltimore shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who I initially thought was going to pull off a crazy game-ending double play with the bases loaded only to fire the ball errantly to first.
On what was a perfect afternoon for baseball, Orioles starter Dean Kremer deserved a better fate after working seven solid frames and coming away without a decision.
Two of my fondest memories when it comes to the Orioles happened at Camden Yards with Aubrey Huff and Manny Machado.
In late June of 2007 the O's were taking on the Angels of Anaheim and Huff managed to hit for the cycle in a 9-7 setback. Being part of the nearly 37,000 fans in attendance that night, I have to say it was quite an electric moment to say the least.
At the time, Huff was the third Oriole to hit for the cycle, joining Brooks Robinson (1960) and Cal Ripken Jr. (1984). He was the first to accomplish the feat during a Baltimore home game.
Six years later in another late June affair the Orioles welcomed in Cleveland and won 7-3.
It was exciting because I finally had my first chance to see Machado, who had played 51 games in 2012 after being called up.
As it turned out, Machado managed one single in three at-bats, but was ejected for the first time in his career after taking a called third strike and arguing.
No one was tossed from Sunday's tilt, but there were two plays at the plate which were overturned.
Jared Triolo was initially ruled safe at home in the third following a double by 6-foot-7 O'Neil Cruz, the tallest shortstop in MLB history. In the fateful ninth with the bases juiced, Ke'Bryan Hayes' run didn't count when Rowdy Tellez reached on a fielder's choice.
I've got to say, it's one thing watching Cruz play the game on television, but seeing him in person is something else. He also made a back-handed stop in the hole where he squatted low to the ground, stood up and fired a dart across the diamond.
Aside from the fact Pirates right fielder Connor Joe made a nifty leaping catch at the wall, I'm not sure I've ever witnessed consecutive defensive gems like I did Sunday.
In the sixth, Kremer needed just eight pitches to retire the Pirates. It didn't hurt that Henderson made a diving stop on the other side of second base to rob Bryan Reynolds, and then double play partner Jorge Mateo had a sick defensive gem with the leather to deny Hayes a hit after he somehow gloved the ball off a hop in shallow right field.
After sharing my experience on social media my Aunt Jo, a big supporter of the Pirates, chimed in telling me she was "sorry you were rooting for the wrong team."
Suffice it to say, during Wednesday night's rivalry game at City Park between Parkersburg South and the host Big Reds, everyone was rooting for Caden Parker.
The PHS shortstop, who was hitting second, took one for the team in the cheek during the bottom of the first following a Cayden Mackey offering.
Miraculously, the senior somehow avoided any sort of serious injury, which included being cleared from having a concussion.
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com