Trophy helmet, special dog, ponchos: ALCS Game 4 sights, sounds at Progressive Field (photos)

CLEVELAND, Ohio – What a difference a day makes.When gates opened at 5:30 p.m. Friday of the American League Championship Series, two and a half hours before the scheduled first pitch, most fans stayed under cover on the concourses, leaving an expanse of blue seats as rain continued.Saturday’s temps were in the 50s before dropping into the 40s. When Cleveland’s Shawn Armstrong threw the first pitch at 8:08 p.m. Saturday, it was 46 degrees. Some pregamers downtown wore hoodies and shorts while others braced for the colder temperatures when the sun went down, wearing coats and scarves. In other words, Cleveland weather.Related: ‘It’s a long baseball life’ - longtime Cleveland Indians clubhouse manager earns HOF honorsWe captured a few sights and sounds inside and outside Progressive Field for Friday and Saturday nights for the Tampa Bay-Cleveland game. Going into Saturday’s game, Cleveland leads the series, two games to one:There's a lot of cameraderie of the SRO crowds at Progressive Field.Marc Bona, cleveland.comHead of the lineThe folks who arrive at the stadium early have some time to kill, but for Gonzalo Garcia-Pedroso – known as “Gonzo” – he and his son have gotten to know the roughly 100 other fans who like to do the same. They arrived at 1 p.m. Friday. “We hang out with all these friends,” said Garcia-Pedroso, one of many folks who aim for the best first-come, first-arrived standing-room-only seats near the right-field foul pole. “It’s all about community,” he said. They wore hoodies that said “Right Field Famous SRO.” He and his family moved to Cleveland from Connecticut four years ago and quickly became Guardians fans. In fact, the camaraderie is strong enough for Gonzo, who wants to challenge the left-field gate-waiters to a friendly left field-right field softball game. “We’ve met some great people,” said Garcia-Pedroso, head of Andrews Osbourne Academy in Willoughby. Accessibility and friends, that’s the best part.”Akron homecomingThree ex-Akron RubberDucks staffers are in Cleveland for ALCS games: Former owner Ken Babby, former general manager Jim Pfander and former public-relations guru Adam Liberman. Babby is CEO and part owner of the Rays, and Pfander – an Akron native – is chief experience officer. Both are in their first year with the team. Liberman left the RubberDucks a few seasons ago but remains as a Major League scorer. He was ecstatic for his former colleagues. “I’m so happy,” he said. “Either (Jim’s) hometown team gets to go to the World Series or the team he works for. That’s so cool. I’m sure he’s torn, and good for him.” Liberman was the official scorer for Games 3 and 5. He does about 25 to 30 games a year.We saw prices from $40 to $80 in downtown lots and garages.Marc Bona, cleveland.comYour parking guideHeaded downtown Sunday? Here’s our roundup of what folks had to pony up to park downtown:Friday$80: East 9th Street and Carnegie Avenue, northeast corner$80: East 9th and Sumner Avenue, southeast corner$70: Erie Court and East 9th Street, northeast corner$70: Bolivar Avenue and East 9th, northeast corner$70: Thirsty Parrot lot, northwest corner of Bolivar and East 9th$60: The Metropolitan at the 9, southeast corner of East 9th and Euclid Avenue$50: Valet at The Schofield/Betts, southwest corner of East 9th and Euclid Avenue$50: Euclid-Prospect Gateway garage near East 8th StreetSaturday$80: East 9th and Carnegie, northeast corner$80: East 9th and Sumner, southeast corner$70: Erie Court and East 9th, northeast corner$70: East 9th and Bolivar, northeast and northwest corners$60: The Metropolitan at the 9$60: Arena Stadium Parking, across from Colonial Arcade on Prospect Avenue$50: Small lot at 1227 Prospect Avenue and Bolivar$50: East 14th and Carnegie$40: East 3rd and Superior Avenue lot, southeast corner$40: Hanna Building garageJulie Shipley of Seven Hills wore a homemade medieval trophy helmet.Marc Bona, cleveland.comUltimate rally capJulie Shipley of Seven Hills wore a homemade medieval trophy helmet on Gateway Plaza before the game, similar to and worthy of Guardians players’ post-home run trots in the dugout. She made it a few days ago, buying the crown at a Halloween store and modifying it a bit. And yes, security checked it thoroughly.The popular Ike is known as the "East 4th mayor."Marc Bona, cleveland.comPooch powerMike Dalessandro brought Ike, a likeable golden retriever, to Saturday’s pregaming patio crowds on East 4th Street. Ike – whom Dalessandro calls the “East 4th mayor” – sauntered near the door at Jolene’s. “He comes to all the bars. They always give him treats,” said Dalessandro, who dressed Ike in Guardians apparel. Sunday, he will shift to Browns gear, he said.Ponchos were a big seller on the street during the steady rain on Friday.Marc Bona, cleveland.comPonchos! Get your ponchos!A big seller of Cleveland baseball apparel wasn’t the usual hoodie, T-shirt or cap on the street Friday. Our favorite vendor, Cowboy Tom, who sets up near Erie Street Cemetery, sold 300 ponchos at $10 apiece. He had been preparing his usual Cleveland wares in the off-and-on pregame drizzle, and his prediction for sales was “terrible.” But he took it in stride, saying: “It’s October. It’s going to be cold and rainy.”Coco's Selfie Space hung some special positive messages - at least one had a Guardians World Series title in mind.Marc Bona, cleveland.comThink positivelyCoco’s Selfie Space, a shop inside the 5th Street Arcades off Euclid Avenue, had a “positiv-tree” posted outside its doors. Hanging from it were hand-written notes like “Today was great; tomorrow will be better” and “Take it one step at a time.” And while they can be applied to baseball or life, one message definitely musters some positive energy down at Carnegie and Ontario: “Manifesting a Cleveland World Series Championship ’26.” So the Guardians have a new-age spirited jolt of luck coming their way.The beer guy!Les Flake – better known as The Beer Guy – was prepping to sell beer near the flag poles in center field Friday. He’s seen a lot of postseason games at the ballpark, from the 1990s dynasties to the World Series in 2016 and others. The big question is do fans drink more or less in bad weather? “It’s the playoffs; it doesn’t matter. It’s like a Browns game. It doesn’t matter.” Flake is a popular fixture whose bellowing cries are renowned. “People see me, and it’s always ‘Hey, it’s the beer guy!’”Luther Trammell sang the blues on East 4th Street.Marc Bona, cleveland.comMusicLuther Trammell was playing the blues on East 4th after years of performing at House of Blues. “I found I can make more money in the alley,” he said. Meanwhile, Wild Eagle Saloon on Huron Road blared Michael Stanley Band’s 1983 song “My Town” and Ian Hunter’s 1979 tune “Cleveland Rocks” hours before first pitch Saturday. If that doesn’t get fans in the spirit, I don’t know what will.This and that …Carlos Baerga, who played eight seasons for the Indians, was in the park Friday and Saturday. … Lady Bri sang the national anthem on Saturday. … Not too many jerseys spotted Friday under people’s raincoats and hoodies, but we did see Lonnie Chisenhall represented. … If you head downtown Sunday, know two things: The security perimeter is extended, so you will have to go through a checkpoint to be on Gateway Plaza, and the Browns kick off at 1 p.m. at Huntington Bank Field. … Market Garden Brewery in the city’s Ohio City neighborhood usually is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays but posted it will be open Oct. 19-20 if Cleveland is playing; the brewpub is showing all Guardians playoff games with full sound. … Faceoff for Saturday’s Monsters game next door at Rocket Arena was moved from 7 p.m. to 3 p.m., and Friday and Saturday’s hockey games combined drew more than 15,600 fans. … 10 years ago: On Oct. 17, 2016, Cleveland beat Toronto, 4-2, to go up three games to none in the ALCS as Bryan Shaw got the win. … Saturday’s game sold out, and the team encouraged fans to ‘Rock Your Red’ Sunday.The futureGame 5: 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, at ClevelandGame 6: 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, at Tampa Bay*Game 7: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Tampa Bay** if needed