North by Northeast...

It's playoff time for the West Virginia Power, so that means I have a lot of ground to cover to get us to this point:

After a much needed weekend with the wife and sending Mike on the road in late July, I got back into the swing of baseball quickly.  It was, by the way, just a four day stint of not being with the ballclub.  And I was watching the scoreboard the whole time.

The Power finished out July and started August at home... and continued to win.  Seven games at Appalachian Power Park with seven victories.  A few walk-off winners by Jimmy Rider and Jordan Steranka really put a charge into the crowd.  All told, the team reeled off 13 straight home victories to set a new franchise record.  We then embarked on the first of our last three road trips with each getting progressively shorter... sort of.

The first excursion was a seven-day trip to Delmarva and Lakewood.  I try not to be a creature of habit on these trips, but at the hotel in Salisbury, MD, there are very few options that aren't fast food.  I went back to Viva, a coffee shop nearby, that I visited during our first trip to the peninsula.

Prime rib panini with a tomato & mozzarella salad... healthy right?

On the last day in Salisbury, check out was at 11 and the bus wasn't until 2:30, so I walked the one mile distance to the ballpark.  I should have taken a cab.  I carried my laptop, a small bag, and my delicious Subway sandwich to the park.  By the time I got there, I was a sweaty mess and my sub was an "L" shape from the inertia of the walk.

Delmarva took two of three in this series, including Wednesday's game when Tyler Glasnow matched his season-best with 12 strikeouts, setting a new franchise record for K's in a single season at 135 (with plenty more to come).

On to Lakewood, which I've kept no secret, is one of my favorite places to eat... I mean watch and broadcast baseball.  There are so many options when it comes to delicious fare.  On one of my early (and maybe only) runs I took this season, I found this hidden gem:

Gustosa Gourmet Deli

During our three trips to the Lakewood Township area, I ate at this deli several times.  An Italian grinder during one of the early trips was only outdone by a chicken parmesan sub this time through.  The star of this meal, however, is in the background.

A chocolate covered cannoli.  Unbelievably good.  In all of the things I have eaten this summer, this is, hands down, the single most delicious decadence that I consumed.

I went to a movie after this, though I have no recollection of what I saw.

But I do remember that cannoli.

West Virginia continued their dominance of Lakewood during the series, taking three of four and finishing the season 20-4 against the BlueClaws.

Where would we have been without their assistance this season?  I'll tell you where... third or fourth place.

Coming up...  Part two of August, including a lobster roll, Matchbox 20, rain-delay fireworks, and more winning ways.

I'll never have another bad day.