On Wednesday, we played another game in Zulia, and the offense from the day before showed up again. This time, it was headlines by Luis Valbuena's four hits and two-run homer. I also pitched another inning in this game, getting three groundouts on nine pitches in the seventh. Shawn Kelley also got an inning of work, striking out three in the ninth to put an end to a 9-3 rout.
The game wasn't really the story, though; the war between the umpire and basically the entire city of Zulia was the real story. In the first few innings of this game, the umpire had a noticeably small zone, but the pitchers were dealing with the ump having an off day. After the Zulia pitcher walked a guy on a close pitch and then surrendered a two-run bomb to Valbuena, their manager blew up and went after the umpire and gave him a mouthful. He was ejected, and the game went on. The Zulia pitcher came out to pitch the fifth and walked the bases loaded. When the pitching coach came out to the mound to take him out of the game, he immediately threw his glove off the field and went after the umpire. He was promptly ejected, but he got his money's worth, throwing his jersey and hat in the stands before his exit.
The most interesting part of this story happened between innings when the Zulia mascot, Agui, got into the act and gave the ump a piece of his mind -- and, of course, he was thrown out as well. It was something to see, very comical. The Zulia fans were not going to stand for the Agui ejection, and that had a lot to do with there being three stoppages in play during the next four innings, because things were being thrown on the field at the ump. When the game ended, the umpiring crew had a police escort off the field, but that didn't stop the Zulia faithful from showering them with beer. What an environment. We play here again today, and then head back to Lara for five days.
Here is Agui in happier times...
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