Mario treats Torto to drinks at the Iron Horse... ...and a pair of losses.

Swanky atmosphere, antique motorcyles, and Crown and Coke were a winning combo for Mar

Last weekend, Mar and I met up for dinner, drinks, and PTP.  The evening started out well enough for me, with a great dinner at Pitch's.  We then proceeded over to the Iron Horse Hotel bar to grab some cocktails and roll some dice.  We were surprisingly undisturbed, despite the hoppin' crowd.  And with my 1-2-3 going in a home series, I liked my chances to come out winning 2 of 3.  But that's why we play the games...

Game 1: J.Santana @ C.Billingsley
A pitchers' duel in this one, both Johan and C-Bill were dealling in this one.  My guy gave up only 3 over 9, and ordinarily that would be easy enough for my battery of sluggers to overcome, but it was not to be.  Mario got RBI hits from Carlos Ruiz, Justin Upton, and Martin Prado, while I could only muster a pair of runs. 
Mario wins 3-2

Game 2: C.Zambrano @ R.A.Dickey
Negative from the get go about starting Big Z, Mario's negativity got to the big guy, and he gave up 5 runs in the second, the majority of which came on a bases loaded 2-out triple from Dexter Fowler.  Torto added runs in the 5th and 7th, but Mario patiently chipped away, scoring 4 by the 8th (including a Casey McGehee HR), and making the score 7-4.  Dickey didn't have his sharpest outing, but didn't need it to get his 4th win. Things got a little dicey in the ninth, but Sergio Romo finally settled in for his 6th save.
Torto wins 7-4

Game 3: J.Chacin @ W.Rodriguez
Another pitchers' duel in game 3.  Wandy pitched a gem into the bottom ninth, with the only run given up a solo shot to Casey McGehee.  Torto climbed out of the 1-0 deficit in the 7th, on a Chase Utley 2-RBI single.  With a 2-1 lead, going into the ninth, the game was mine to lose.  Wandy got himself officially 'tired' on a lead off walk, so in came Romo again to save the day.  Not this time.  Mario ripped off 4 straight hits, then another walk, to plate 5 runs, making it 6-2.  Torto picked up a meaningless run in the bottom of the ninth, but still lost the series on the Romo blown save.
Mario wins 6-3
Mario wins series 2-1

Tough to lose the series that way, but Mar earned it.  He kept my big bats at bay, and my clutchy-ness came up empty.  Mar's team might not have the bats to score big most games, but his pitching (Zambrano excluded of course) is solid enough to surprise some.