Finally! I get to see the Reds play

Posted on 02. Mar, 2009 by Corey in General Baseball.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Homer Bailey gave the team three scoreless innings to start, and a solid bullpen held the Pittsburgh Pirates to two runs while scattering five hits.  But the Reds offense could not do much as they collected eight hits and one run, coming on Johny Gomes sacrifice fly scoring Brandon Phillips to fall to the Pirates 2-1.

Lance Nix, starting in left field, got two hits, but was once erased off the bases when caught stealing once.  After taking the 1-0 lead in the fourth, the Reds would give up the tying run in the bottom of the sixth with Aaron Fultz on the mound. He walked two andgave up a hit.  Josh Roenicke took the loss allowing two hits and one run in the eighth inning.

The game only lasted two hours and 26 minutes and was played on a very windy day in front of 2,841 fans at McKechnie field.

GAME EXTRAS
-    Before the game the Budweiser Clydesdales, complete with a Dalmatian dog, were on display and walking around out front of the field.
-    The weather was very chilly at first pitch with a strong wind blowing left to right.  Many fans were wrapped under blankets or searching for the sun to keep them warm.
-    The Cincinnati Reds wore their red batting practice tops with white names on the back and their red hats.
-    The Pittsburgh Pirates wore their black batting practice tops with the player’s names on the back and black batting practice hats.
-    Not sure if it was because of the cold or not, but a very quiet crowd on hand.
-    Cincinnati Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty was in attendance.
-    The Hooters girls were at the game today passing out free beer coupons upon exiting after the game.  Almost makes me want to start drinking.
-    Most of the Reds coaches sat together outside the dugout on metal bleacher benches.
-    In the bottom of the third inning one of the game umpires was escorted to the clubhouse by a Pirates trainer, and would not return.  The rest of the game was played with only three umpires.
-    A decent amount of Reds fans were represented at the game.
-    Former Dayton Dragon from last season Todd Frazier came into the game at third base.
-    I know I have mentioned this before, but still odd to me to see players running around the outfield during the game to get their extra work in.
-    Former Cincinnati Red from last season Andy Phillips delivered the game winning RBI in the bottom of the eighth inning.

STADIUM QUIRKS
-    There were many available parking lots around the stadium, and oddly, they were all different prices.  I got one that was about 100 feet from the front gate for $5.  Could not of been happier with the parking today.
-    Unfortunately for today, many of the seats were in the shade, and the sun was needed to keep fans warm.
-    BATTLE OF THE SODAS: Pepsi
-    The Pittsburgh bullpen was down the right field line, but most relievers sat in lawn chairs in fair territory along the outfield wall.
-    The Pirates dugout is down the first base line.
-    Both teams’ clubhouses are located down the foul lines next to their bullpens.
-    There is no radar gun or video board at the stadium.
-    There is only one deck of seats throughout the stadium and no lawn.  There is a set of bleacher grandstands down each line.
-    There really is not a bad seat in the entire park.  When walking around, I felt as close the action as any stadium I have been in this spring.
-    The soft pretzels are pretty good and only $3.
-    The box and reserved seats throughout the park are green bucket seats and looked quite comfortable.  I did not give them a try today as I was too cold to sit still for to long.
-    The Pirates have World Series flags from all their championships flying high in the outfield.
-    Could not find a working WIFI in the stadium.
-    There was a TCBY yogurt stand in the park. If it was not so cold, that would have been a great treat.