Is it heaven???
No, it’s a cornfield in Iowa!
The “Field of Dreams” game returns to Dyersville, Iowa for a second year; this time it’s the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs – two of the oldest teams in the MLB.
Last season for the inaugural game, Chicago White Sox player Tim Anderson capped off the night with a walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Can the players top last year’s game???
For the players, this is far more than a game…it’s about magic, remembering a childhood and “sharing a catch”.
First to come out of the field of corn are Ken Griffey Sr and Jr for a little game of catch as several children come out of the cornfield to join them. The Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs emerge from the corn as the Griffey’s and children continue to play. The player are sporting throwback uniforms.
Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell is a fourth generation MLB player. The Reds will be the hone team for tonight’s game.
There is a video board out in the cornfield, but the scoreboard is from an era gone by and requires the cards be manually placed.
After getting two outs, the Cubs wake up the bats and put three runs on the board.
Middle of the 1st inning; Cubs 3 – Reds coming to bat.
At the end of the first inning, the Reds left two players on base and didn’t score any runs.
End of first; Cubs 3 runs, three hits and 0 errors – Reds 0 runs, one hit, and 0 errors.
In the first inning, the pitchers faced the shadows and hit two batters.
In the second inning, the Cubs failed to put anybody on base and the Reds stranded two more base runners. Score remains Cubs 3 – Reds 0.
Reds first baseman Joey Votto spoke to FOX broadcasters while on the field.
After a leg injury in the top of the third inning, Wilson Contreras stays in the game. In the third inning, the Cubs left two runners on base; for the third inning in a row, the Reds left two batters on base.
After three innings it Cubs 3 – Reds 0.
In the top of the fourth, the Cubs score another run but end the inning
Ian Happ from the Cubs joins the FOX broadcast crew from the field to chat while playing. The Reds ended the inning with no runs; score remains Cubs 4 – Reds 0.
In the top of the fifth inning with two outs and two on base, the Reds take out pitcher Lodolo with five strikeouts. The new pitcher is Buck Farmer. Midway in the fifth inning, the Cubs strand two baserunners. After an atum ball from Joey Votto, the Reds end the fifth inning with a runner on base and still no runs.
After five innings: Cubs 4 – Reds 0.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Cubs get another hit but the score remains 4-0. Drew Smyly leaves the game with a career high nine strikeouts in five innings.
Cubs turn a 4-6-3 double play. Reds end the inning with a fly out.
Cubs 4 – Reds 0
Cubs go three up three down in the top of the seventh.
In a special celebration for the seventh inning stretch, “Harry Carey” leads the crowd in a rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”.
The Reds open the bottom of the seventh with a double and a walk, Matt Reynolds puts one into the outfield for two RBI’s to finally get on the board. Cubs manager David Ross goes to the bullpen. Joey Votto strikes out to end the seventh inning.
Cubs 4 – Reds 2
Alexis Diaz takes the mound for the Reds. First baseman Joey Votto makes an error that allows the runner to advance to second. The Cubs strand a runner in the middle of the eighth inning. The Reds end the eighth inning; the score remains 4-2.
Hunter Strickland takes the mound for the Reds. With two left on base, Hunter Strickland and the Reds hold the Cubs to no runs. The Reds take the field for their last chance to win the game. Rowan Wick takes the mound for the Cubs. After a seven pitch at bat, Matt Reynolds strikes out for a three up three down ninth to end the game.
Cubs win 4 – 2 over the Reds. Drew Smyly gets the win.
The final line score was:
Cubs 4 runs, 10 hits, 0 errors
Reds 2 runs, 7 hits, 1 error