Since today is a Friday, I thought that it might by a little more difficult than the other two days this week, where I had snagged 8 and 10 balls. 

The Cardinals can be a tricky team to deal with due to their hitting approach.  Twice last year I only snagged one ball in games that the Pirates played the Cardinals.  My best game against the Cardinals was a 9 ball performance on May 12, 2009.  I would break that today.

My first ball was a Steve Pearce ground rule double that bounced over the fence and I caught in the second row.  It was career ball #6-6-6.  Hopefully the dubious distinction of being tied to that ball number doesn’t jinx Pearce in the big leagues.

Ball #2 was another ground rule double off the bat of Lastings Milledge, and ball #3 was a home run that I had to battle the sun for, and made the catch in the aisle way between section 136 and 137.

Near the end of the group, I got two balls within 10 seconds of each other.  Both were from Lastings Milledge.  He hit a home run that I caught on the fly, and as soon as I made the catch and started drifting back to my right to go to my spot, another home run was hit to my right.  I sprinted over and picked the ball up as it was trickling down the bleachers.

The Pirates finished up at 5:26.  The Cardinals began hitting.

I glove tricked ball #6 in left field, as none of the Cardinals’ shaggers had made it over to left field yet.

I then ran over to center field and found ball #7 in the center field seats. 

I returned to left field and got a home run from an unknown Cardinals player .  The ball hit two sections from the foul pole and ricocheted like a rocked directly at me.  I actually caught the ball between my side and my forearm, as I didn’t have enough time to react.  That was ball #8, and it was only 5:38, exactly half way through batting practice.

Would I be able to continue this pace and challenge the PNC Park Jabs/Pelescak record of 14. 

No. 

Things slowed way down, as people started blocking off the rows, and limiting my range.

I did catch a Nick Stavinoha home run on the fly in section 137. 

STATISTICS:
Game:  10 balls (8 hit, 1 device, 1 found)
Season:  97 balls (61 hit, 16 thrown, 10 device, 11 found)
Games: 13 games
Average:  7.46 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 3
Career:  675 balls
Streak:  109 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance:  16,473