The Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League built a quick 5-0 lead on Saturday and never looked back in defeating the visiting Tacoma Rainiers at Portland's PGE Park.

On hand as Umpire Jon Merry's guests were Robin Bergin and Zoia. Robin and Zoia are a mentor/youth match of Big Brothers Big Sisters Northwest. Robin, Jon thanks you for being a mentor and spending time with Zoia at the game.

A BLUE for Kids thank you to Katy Spinks of Big Brothers Big Sisters Northwest for making the opportunity available to your match.

If you live in the Portland area and would like to learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters, visit their local website at www.bbbsnorthwest.org or the national BBBS website at www.bbbs.org.

Samuel Dearth
Executive Director BLUE for Kids, Inc.

Check out a couple of pictures that Robin sent us from the game:

Ronald Craft and his little brother Rogelio were guests of PCL Umpire Jon Merry last night in Fresno. Ronald and Rogelio are a mentor/youth match of California's Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fresno, King and Medera Counties. The Nashville Sounds were in town to take on the hometown Fresno Grizzlies.

Things looked good for Fresno at the midway point of the game as they led 5-2 but the Sounds chipped away at the lead. With the scored tied 5-5 after 8 innings, Nashville's Chris Barnwell delivered an RBI single in the 9th inning that proved decisive. Nashville came from behind to beat the Grizzlies 6-5.

Ronald and Rogelio - Jon Merry and BLUE for Kids hope you enjoyed the game even though the home team fell short in the end.

BLUE for Kids would like to thank Oscar Fonseca and Elena Romero of BBBS of Fresno, Kings & Madera Counties for getting Ronald and Rogelio out to the game. If you live in the Fresno area and would like to learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters, visit their local website at www.bigs.org or the national BBBS website at www.bbbs.org.

Samuel Dearth
Executive Director BLUE for Kids, Inc.

Meenal Lele and her little sister Kiara are a mentor/youth match from Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City. Pictured (L-R) are Bob Davidson, Kiara, and Marvin Hudson.

Meenal and Kiara made their way to Shea Stadium for a Saturday afternoon matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets courtesy of MLB Umpire Marvin Hudson. The Phillies entered the game in second place in the NL East, 11 games behind the Mets.

The Phillies jumped to a 3-0 lead early on a three run homer by Ryan Howard in the 1st inning. The pitchers then settled into a rhythm until the 6th when Phillies pitcher Jon Lieber made a throwing error that led to a Mets three run rally. The Mets made the 4-3 score stand to extend their first place lead in the division.

Meenal, Marvin thanks you for being a mentor and spending time with Kiara. We hope you enjoyed the game and perhaps even got your faces on TV given it was the Fox TV game of the week. Thank you to Valerie Stark-Trimarco of BBBS of New York City for making the opportunity available to your match.

If you live in the New York City area and would like to learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters, visit their local website at www.bigsnyc.org or the national BBBS website at www.bbbs.org.

Samuel Dearth
Executive Director BLUE for Kids, Inc.

Some of you will recall Marvin Hudson's BLUE Reach visit to Baltimore's Johns Hopkins Children's Center in April (see article). Among the patients in the Medical-Surgical School Age Unit that day were Nathan Leap and Jimmy Geleta. Marvin returned to Baltimore this week to work the series between the Mariners and Orioles. He invited the boys and their families out to Baltimore's Camden Yards to see the Orioles take on the Seattle Mariners.

Pictured on the left are Nathan Leap, his sister Tori, and mother Jennifer (father Devon played the role of photographer for the shot). The Leap family joined Marvin for the Monday night game - it was the first professional baseball game Nathan has ever seen.

Oriole's southpaw Adam Loewen was dominant in the early going, when he gave up just one hit in the first five innings. The Orioles shot out to a 3-0 lead only to run into trouble in the 6th inning when the Mariners scored three to tie the game. Nine more runs were scored over the last three innings but unfortunately the Mariners scored most of them. The final...10-5 in favor of the Mariners.

On Wednesday, the Geleta family joined Marvin out at Camden Yards. Pictured on the right (from L-R) are Umpire Bob Davidson, Michael Leap, Jimmy Leap, Patrick Leap, and Umpire Marvin Hudson.

Nathan's parents, Michael and Lynn, wrote the following in an e-mail shortly after the game.

"Marvin, Thanks for a great day! The kids loved the great big bag of candy and official Major League baseballs autographed by the umpire crew. Jimmy has recovered from his ruptured spleen. BLUE for Kids really helped with the mental recovery and has helped put the memory of his accident in the past.

Our experience with BLUE for Kids is an example of how good things sometimes come following a bad experience. I also snagged a foul ball during the game! Lynn thinks that this day will be recalled as one of our very best family memories. Thanks again Marvin for both the visit at the hospital and special day at Camden Yards."

The Geleta's experience was positive with exception of another Orioles loss. This time 2-1 in the sweltering heat. 102 degrees on Wednesday in Baltimore...Ouch!

Click for pictures for all ticket recipients.

BLUE for Kids would like to thank parents Devon & Jennifer Leap and Micheal & Lynn Geleta for getting the boys out to the ballpark. We also wish to express our appreciation to Johns Hopkins Children's Center for allowing us to visit in April.