Under the Dome. On the Diamond

If life imitates art, then the Congressional Baseball Game imitates the Capitol.

As in the Capitol, the stadium is divided into two camps: in the House and Senate chambers, Republicans sit on one side and Democrats on the other. In congressional baseball games, Republicans occupy the first-base dugout; Democrats sit in the third-base dugout.

Teams play hard. They play evenly. They challenge the other team from across the aisle or across the diamond. They try to score political points. In this case, points.

The annual bipartisan baseball game at Nationals Park is a symbol of what goes on every day beneath the Capitol Dome across the street. Only one night a year, lawmakers play under the outdoor lights. They strap on cleats and wear New York Mets and University of Texas at San Antonio jerseys. They are just as likely to encounter protesters as they are in the halls of Congress.

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However, these protesters did not show up at the Cannon Rotunda. They jumped the fence near the left field foul pole and were tackled by U.S. Capitol Police on the lawn, similar to what sometimes happens at Congress.

No left field foul pole.

Congress is often criticized for busying itself without achieving much.

Just one play on the field Wednesday night epitomized this.

The Republicans were leading the Democrats 21-6 going into the bottom of the sixth inning of the seventh game, but the Democrats were trying to tie the game with the bases loaded.

Unlike a major league baseball game, there are a lot more wild pitches and passed balls.

Rep. Greg Stube (R-Fla.) kept the game going for Republican captain and former Atlanta Braves farm player Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), but Williams then switched pitchers, bringing in Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) in relief.

Pfluger is a Republican “fireman.” He entered the game with just a 1.11 ERA, reminiscent of 1968 Cy Young Award winner Bob Gibson’s astounding 1.12 ERA.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Pflueger’s curveball bounced off the glove of Republican catcher Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas) and was called as a passed ball, and the runner was unable to advance as Pflueger charged to protect home plate.

But a few pitches later, the base running and congressional mayhem ensued.

Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) was up to bat. Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) was on first base. Rep. Tim Kennedy (D-NY) was on second base. Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-Calif.) was on third base.

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Then Pfluger hit a wild pitch that flew all the way to the brick backstop, where the ball bounced across the grass in foul territory and toward Luttrell.

Barragan slowly made his way halfway to the line as Goldman swung his arms wildly to send Barragan home.

But as Pflueger ran to cover home plate, Luttrell neatly retrieved the ball. Luttrell threw it to Pflueger. There was no way Nanette could score on the ball. The California Democrat retired to third base.

But that’s where the problems began.

Kennedy is not only a rookie, he’s a rookie in Congress and in the Legislature. He just got the call from Buffalo to the big club. Not the Buffalo Bisons, the Toronto Blue Jays’ AAA affiliate. But Congress. He’s only represented Buffalo since early May, when he won a special election to replace former Rep. Brian Higgins, a New York Democrat.

It’s not customary for a junior senator to steal the attention of a veteran. But at this stage, Kennedy was charging toward third base, and Barragan was rushing back to safety. There were two runners on third base: the council members. So Kennedy reversed course faster than a senator on his way to Reagan National Airport on a congressional holiday when the House called an unexpected vote. Pfluger was firing toward second base, and Kennedy was backed into a corner, receiving the most coverage he’s ever received in his early career. Now Kennedy was in trouble. First base runner Pat Ryan was running to second, and Kennedy couldn’t get back to second.

Members of the Republican team stand during the playing of the national anthem at the Congressional Charity Baseball Game at Nationals Park in Washington, DC on June 12, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

So Ryan, to help Kennedy, made a motion to go back to first base again just before the Republicans threw the ball away. They really backed Kennedy into a corner, but he got away with it.

And just like in the Capitol, sometimes you get a second chance.

Kennedy’s baseline filibuster allowed Barragan to score, and Kennedy advanced safely to third base.

This development for both clubs made the Bad News Bears look like the 1975 Cincinnati Reds.

However, a throw was errant on a Kennedy rundown, and Ryan began running toward second base again.

Most strange happenings in Congress seem to arise from “unexpected events.”

But on this night, the ball came from right field.

Rep. Jake Elzey (R-Texas) probably deserves the most careful play in this game.

Elzy crept all the way down right field to cover Kennedy’s run between second and third base, then Elzy caught the unexpected throw and sprinted straight for Ryan.

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The New York Democrat was caught between first and second base — the third rundown in a bizarre series of events — when Elzy, clasping the ball in his right hand, reached toward Ryan and tagged him directly onto the ball.

Ryan was out.

Ellzey graduated from the Naval Academy and served as a fighter pilot, while Ryan is a West Point graduate who played in a Golden Knights jersey.

When Elzie overtook Ryan in the footrace, it was truly a “Go Navy, beat the Army” moment.

So, they scored only one point and got one out.

But as is often the case in Congress, there are mistakes on both sides, and Democrats are running around without much to show for their narrow victory.

This play ended the bottom of the sixth inning of the seventh game.

Members of the Democratic and Republican teams shake hands after the Congressional Charity Baseball Game at Nationals Park on June 12, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

The Republicans then outscored the Democrats by 10 runs in the top of the seventh inning and went on to a stunning 31-11 victory.

“That’s the largest margin of victory since 1909,” boasted House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana. “I think that’s a sign of things to come in the election cycle, and I expect to see that continue in November.”

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“We still have an opportunity in terms of building our talent,” said New York Assembly Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, R-N.Y. “We’ve made the race more competitive early on and laid the groundwork for a Democratic upset in 2025.”

It’s the same as everyday politics in Congress: Republicans are hoping for big wins this fall.

Democrats are trying to take back control of the House of Representatives.

It’s the same whether you’re under the dome or on the diamond.