Atlanta Braves Played a Home Game at Fort Bragg, NC; America Won the Night

The Atlanta Braves played a home game at Fort Bragg, NC. America won the night

I’ve made it know since this whole Fort Bragg Game was announced, I wanted to be there, badly. My brothers and sisters in arms didn’t disappoint!

The 18th Airborne Corps, 82nd Airborne Division, and Fort Bragg treated the Braves and the Marlins to how we operate on a day to day basis. The sense of pride I have serving my country has never been stronger. I had goose bumps the whole game.

I wanted to recap the whole day, but I’ll just cover the game. From the get go, the game had an All-Star Game feel mixed in with a touch of playoff anxiousness.

Matt Wisler struck out the side in the first and looked really pumped up to be out there. As the starting lineups were introduced, it almost looked as if some of the players were nervous. Like they had the star struck, deer-in-the-headlights look for the Soldiers in the stands.

And far be it for Fort Bragg to begin the bottom of the first with a little Tomahawk Chop! Unfortunately, even after getting two men on, the Braves couldn’t get anyone across and the first ended 0-0.

An indication of how much this game meant to both the teams and the Soldiers? A foul ball to Freddie Freeman in the second was welcomed with very audible cries for the ball. Freddie, paused, double clutched and found a fan worthy of the treasure. That’s what this game was all about.

Erick Aybar apparently got into a box of MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat) because in the first 3 innings, he had two really great defensive plays. I’m sure the adrenaline of the night was still high.

Through four and a half, it was a classic pitcher’s duel. The folks at Fort Bragg were getting treated to some great pitching.

A botched play by Martin Prado in the 4th put Freddie Freeman at third on a grond out back to the pitcher after throwing to first to get Nick Markakis, Freeman took third and had Prado held the ball, would have been out.

But the game stayed tied at zero after a couple ground outs left Freeman at third.

The Marlins finally scratched a run across in the top of the fifth on a bloop single after a Hechaveria lead off triple.

The Marlins added another on an opposite field single to push it to 2-0 Marlins in the 5th. That;’s all Miami would get as Wisler got Stanton to pop out to Jace Peterson to end the inning.

Atlanta got the first two hitters on in their half of the fifth. A walk to Freeman with 2 outs loaded the bases for Markakis. Nick lined a shot to Prado at third who tossed to second for the third out. Still 2-0 Marlins after 5 complete.

As an aside form the game, noted, now notorious villain ball hawk, Zack Hample, found his way into the game. I wouldn’t bring this up, normally, but this is just the lowest of lows and a in my opinion, stolen valor at it’s worst.

Around the 4th, Hample blasted a pic of him getting a ball from Prado in the third via Twitter.

But that’s not all. Being active duty and knowing full well this game was for military personnel only, I was incensed. But take a look at how he got in …

Yep. Tinder. He offered $1000 to anyone with a DoD ID card to get in to the game. Which means, a Soldier was shafted out of seeing this game. Deplorable, despicable, and outright insensitive. This is about as unAmerican as you can get.

Needless to say, the response was overwhelming. Everyone was calling for Hample to take a hike. Even our friends with the 82nd Airborne had something to say, and it was glorious.

Hooah 82nd! Hooah!

My apologies for diverting from the game, but this really irked me, badly.

Now, back to the game:

The Marlins added another run in the 6th that chased Wisler to push the lead to 3-0 Marlins. Then a lead off triple from Stanton and a sac fly from Dietrich made it 4-0 in the 8th.

Realmuto made it 5-0 with a solo home run in the top of the ninth, becoming probably the only player to homer at Fort Bragg Field.

In the bottom of the ninth, Atlanta got a little something going. Tyler Flowers got hit by a pitch and Frenchy drew a walk. A stinging double from Aybar drove in Flowers then a sac fly from A.J. Pierzynski got Frenchy home and moved Aybar to third. 5-2 Marlins.

Jace Peterson struck out with a runner on third to end it. Even though the Braves lost the game, everyone on the field and in the stands won the day.

I’m proud as a service member, Braves fan, and American. Major League Baseball got this one right. America’s National Pastime paired with America’s Finest, the United States Army.

Next: Tyler Flowers has a Pretty Sweet Mask

From all of us at Tomahawk Take, Happy 4th of July to all of you. And thank you for all your continued support and patronage.

Go Braves and Go America!