Shazam app is home run for baseball fans

There were two out with a man on second and CC Sabathia facing Chris Davis in the fourth inning on Friday night at Yankee Stadium, a scoreless tie at that point during the decisive Game 5 of the American League Division Series.

That's when I decided to Shazam this postseason.

I did it the same way I would typically hold my iPhone up to my laptop or a radio to use that audio-recognition app to Shazam a song like Adele's "Skyfall" or Mumford & Sons' "I Will Wait." In this case, I pointed my device at the nearest audio source, my desk TV with TBS analyst John Smoltz talking, and "What's that pitch?" suddenly had replaced "What's that song?"

Now my iPhone screen was a live linescore with play-by-play, live box and game statistics, video highlights, Major League Baseball news and analysis, social sharing capabilities -- and one-click access to MLB.com and the top-selling MLB.com At Bat 12 app.

Why was this important? Because about 80 million users in the U.S., whether serious or casual or first-time baseball fans, have the Shazam app installed on mobile devices, and now they are exposed to live action through the 108th World Series. It is one of the latest ways technology is driving the national pastime into a wider world and reaching a new generation, making the game even more popular.

Shazam, the world's leading media engagement company, partnered with MLB Advanced Media to provide an interactive mobile experience to fans watching this entire postseason. It is Shazam's first such partnership with a professional sports league. MLB.com's suite of apps is well-known -- At Bat, At the Ballpark and PrePlay -- and here's another example of an app playing a key role in getting more people than ever involved in the games.

Why use the app if you already are looking at a live TV broadcast? Because today's game is interactive, in many ways. Some of those Shazam users are going to the At Bat app and choosing to listen to one of the two teams' own radio broadcast crews. Some of them are finding out about Postseason.TV, realizing they can complement the live TV feed with up to 10 camera angles accessible at any time. All the reasons you love At Bat, many are just now discovering.

Shazam recently announced that it has expanded its service for TV second-screen service in the U.S. to support TV programming on any channel, anytime of day, making Shazam a "TV companion app." The core service gives viewers in the U.S. access to cast details and photos, music in the show, celebrity gossip, trivia, celebrity tweets, and links to additional information, plus the ability to instantly share and comment on the show or episode on Facebook and Twitter.

Personally, I'll always rely on the At Bat app as my go-to, I'll check in and order tickets with At the Ballpark, and I'll make predictions with other fans through MLB.com PrePlay. But it's good to know that many fans are going to Shazam this postseason like I just did, knowing that they can find out about a Raul Ibanez single as easily as they can find out about one of Taylor Swift's current top-10 singles.