Reds 9 Diamondbacks 6

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (Ben Lively)
Visiting Team: Arizona Diamondbacks (Tommy Henry)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Box Score

After being away from Great American Ball Park for six years, here I am attending two consecutive games. I worked from the hotel room during the day, and Brandi had the last part of her conference in the morning, and then we made our way over the bridge. We had plenty of time, so we stopped into Fishbowl at the Banks for a drink on the way.

On Thursday, Reds rookies (Abbott and De La Cruz) carried the day on the pitching and defensive side. Tonight, it was two different rookies (Matt McLain and Spencer Steer) doing it on offense. Steer went 2-5 with a double and 3 RBI; McLain hit a fifth-inning grand slam that put the game out of reach. And while the pitching was a totally different story from the day before, it was cool to see Alexis Diaz come in and dominate the ninth for the save.

And after being there by myself the day before, it was a lot of fun to be at this one with Brandi. We really enjoyed the postgame fireworks show, and then we went over to catch the end of the postgame show with Brian Giesenschlag and Sam LeCure. Then we headed back out to the Banks and had a quick beer while we wandered around and checked out everything that was going on. It definitely won't be six years before we make it back again.

Reds 5 Giants 1

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (Andrew Abbott)
Visiting Team: San Francisco Giants (Alex Cobb)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 12:35 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Box Score

My first Business Day Special! I've long been fascinated by these weekday afternoon games, but I had never been to one before. So a few weeks ago, when Brandi said she would be going to Cincinnati for a conference, I checked the Reds schedule and decided the time was right to finally make it happen. I drove down to Covington in the morning and then walked across the Roebling Bridge back into Ohio and arrived at the stadium right around the time the gates opened.

In the days leading up to the game, my main concern was the weather. That was valid, but not in the way I expected. There was a good possibility of storms, but that did not come to pass. Instead, it was just hot, and while there were some clouds, a good portion of the game took place in the blazing sunlight. I had sunscreen, but by the time I reapplied I think I was too sweaty for it to really help, and I definitely waited too long to get water. No harm done, other than a light sunburn on my face and neck, but I definitely learned (or at least remembered) some lessons for future afternoon games I may attend.

Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott was so, so good today, even with plate umpire Dan Iassogna (my least favorite MLB ump since 2000), um...not doing him any favors. He only gave up one hit and two walks in eight innings. I was really hoping to see him come back out to pitch the ninth--seeing a complete game shutout would have been awesome--but taking him out was probably the right move. I still had hopes for the shutout, but a solo home run with two outs of the ninth meant I had to settle for just the win.

And the one hit Abbott allowed led to a pretty cool moment. He had walked Wilmer Flores, and Luis Matos drilled the ball to left center for a double. Will Benson fielded the ball and threw it to shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who unleashed a laser to the plate to erase Flores as he tried to score--99.8 mph, the hardest-thrown infield assist recorded to date. It was pretty impressive to see it in person.

Leaving the game, I could tell how much the heat had taken out of me. I ducked into the team shop for a few minutes of air conditioning, and also in hopes of picking up a new City Connect hat. Alas, I didn't like the band on the adjustable version, and I learned I have an awkwardly sized head for a fitted one; the 7 1/2 was too small and the 7 5/8 was too big. I looked for a 7 9/16, but they didn't seem to have any. So, no new hat for me, which is fine; I already have a bunch of Reds hats (and to be completely honest, I'll probably eventually suck it up and grab the adjustable one anyway). From there, I went into the Filson for a couple of beers (and three glasses of water) before heading back over the bridge to Kentucky.

Reds 7 Cubs 5

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (B. Arroyo)
Visiting Team: Chicago Cubs (J. Lackey)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 1:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Game Story | Box Score

Brewers 2 Reds 0

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (M. Leake)
Visiting Team: Milwaukee Brewers (W. Peralta)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Game Story | Box Score

Pirates 8 Reds 4

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (H. Bailey)
Visiting Team: Pittsburgh Pirates (A. Burnett)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Shawn, Doug, Pops

Game Story | Box Score

The real story of this game, at least for me, was the seats we had. My buddy Doug got his hands on four "Scout Seats"--if you check out a map of Great American Ball Park, look for Section 24; not only is that where we were, but we were in the second row of said section, right behind the coveted Diamond Seats and looking directly at home plate. There are no bad seats at GABP, but these were definitely the best I've had. The only bad thing about them is that now I want to sit there every time. I was really hoping Aroldis Chapman would get a chance to pitch for the Reds so I could see what a 105MPH fastball looks like from that close, but alas, that didn't happen.

As for the game, it can be summed up in the words "Bad Homer." Reds pitcher Homer Bailey has dominated the Pirates throughout his career, so I went in with a good feeling. No streak lasts forever, though, and tonight Homer didn't have his best stuff. The Reds put up a couple of runs in the first inning, but Homer couldn't hold the lead, and the Reds' offense couldn't muster enough the rest of the night to overcome the deficit.

Still, it was a perfect night for baseball, and it's always great to be at the ballpark with some friends. This was my first trip to see the Reds in person since their one playoff game at home after the 2010 season, so it was long overdue.

Phillies 2 Reds 0

Major League Baseball
National League Division Series
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (J. Cueto)
Visiting Team: Philadelphia Phillies (C. Hamels)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 8:07 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Game Story | Box Score

Commentary to come!

Astros 2 Reds 0

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (M. Leake)
Visiting Team: Houston Astros (F. Paulino)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 1:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Game Story | Box Score

Reds 12 Astros 2

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (A. Harang)
Visiting Team: Houston Astros (B. Moehler)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Game Story | Box Score

Reds 3 Cubs 1

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (M. Leake)
Visiting Team: Chicago Cubs (T. Gorzelanny)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 1:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Game Story | Official Box Score

This was kind of a different experience. Going to the game was, more or less, a spur-of-the-moment decision. I bought my ticket online around 10:20 a.m. and hit the road at 11:00. I took nothing with me: no glove, no camera, no sunscreen. I regret that last one. I thought my seat would be in the shade, for at least part of the game, but it was not. I can feel the heat building in my sun-pinkened arms and face already.

The main reason I decided to go was to see the professional debut of Reds starter Mike Leake, their first-round draft pick last year. He became a rare player in Major League history (the first pitcher since 1988) by playing his first big-league game without spending any time in the minor leagues. That being the case, I thought it would be fun to be in the stands for such an event, and to see this young phenom for myself.

I was not disappointed. At first, it looked like it was going to be a disaster - after throwing a first-pitch strike, he proceeded to walk the leadoff hitter on the following four pitches. A double and another walk left the bases loaded for the Cubs with no one out in the first inning. But Leake got out of the inning without allowing any runs, and that set the tone for the day. He ended up walking seven guys before his day was done, but he only gave up one run in 6 2/3 innings. You could definitely tell he was tired just before he was taken out, but the bullpen was able to hold down the fort while the Reds scored some runs and got the win. Leake didn't get credit for it, but there's no doubt that he had a huge hand in the victory.

He had two hits at the plate, too.

Mets 10 Reds 8

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (J. Cueto)
Visiting Team: New York Mets (J. Santana)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Game Story | Official Box Score

What a crazy game.

It looked like the Reds had this one in hand. It was already fixed in my mind that the Reds were 3-0 this season in games I attended, and then the whole thing went straight to hell. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, given how the game had gone prior to that point, but still - two-run lead, bottom of the ninth, closer in the game...this should have been a win for the Reds.

Still, it was pretty cool to be at the first game back after the All-Star break. We even managed to be in our seats for the first pitch, which I was unable to accomplish in my first two trips this year. And we got to see a bunch of home runs (5, even though 3 of them were by Mets). I'm still a little bit in shock that a pitching matchup between Johnny Cueto and Johan Santana turned into such a shootout, but that's what we got.

We also had a good time with the two guys who sat in front of us. One of them was trying to keep score (I think it's great when people score baseball games), but he wasn't paying too close attention - he had to keep asking me what had happened so he could write it down. At one point during the game he got up to go to the bathroom, and he couldn't find his way back. He kept wandering up and down the aisles, and his friend was laughing his ass off.

I didn't take my camera to this game, and I wish I would have. We went down to Cincinnati early since Brandi and I were both on vacation, and we went to the Bodies Exhibition at the Museum Center that afternoon. We finished up there earlier than we thought, so we got to the ballpark early and decided to spend some time in the Reds' Hall of Fame. Being a Reds fan for so long, that was an awesome experience, and I wish I could have gotten some photos. I especially enjoyed the tribute to late Reds player and broadcaster Joe Nuxhall, and the view of the Rose Garden (a preserved section of the Astroturf field from Riverfront Stadium marking the location where Pete Rose's record-breaking 4,192nd hit landed, surrounded by roses) along with the wall of baseballs (50 feet tall) marking each of Pete's hits. Just amazing. On the bright side, buying admission lets us go back for free anytime up through the end of the year, so hopefully I'll be able to correct my camera oversight sometime before then.

Reds 5 Nationals 3

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (J. Cueto)
Visiting Team: Washington Nationals (J. Lannan)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Game Story | Official Box Score

Okay, so it wasn't as exciting as Monday's game, when Ken Griffey Jr. won the game in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run homer, but it was still a good way to spend the last evening before my 31st birthday. The tickets were free, and it was a good, close game on a (mostly) nice night, with a sweet fireworks display afterward.

We were supposed to go down with a couple of Brandi's friends, but they couldn't make it at the last minute, so we went by ourselves. As it was on Monday, the weather was a little bit worrisome, but we went anyway. It did rain a little bit toward the end of the game, but not too hard, and not for very long, so it wasn't a big deal.

I've been to two Reds games now this season, and they're 2-0 when I'm there. Apparently I need to go more often.

Reds 4 Pirates 3

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (A. Harang)
Visiting Team: Pittsburgh Pirates (P. Maholm)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Amy, Doug, Miranda

Game Story | Official Box Score



It was cool to see Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 600th career home run on TV a few weeks ago. It was even cooler to see him hit #603...in person...in the bottom of the ninth inning...to win the game for the Reds.

When my friends Amy and Doug called and said they had tickets to the game and asked me to go, it was a no-brainer. I hadn't been to a game all year, and I was ready. Also, in case I don't get down there again before the trade deadline (or, perhaps, the rest of the season)...well, I wanted to make sure I got a chance to see Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. play as Reds at least one more time.

I was a little nervous about the weather, as it was overcast all through the day, but it turned into a great night at the ballpark. I took a jacket just in case it did rain or get chilly, but I didn't need it. We ended up getting to the ballpark in time for the bottom of the 2nd inning. And we had great seats - we were just to the first base side of home plate in the lower seating area. Several foul balls found their way into our section over the course of the night, including one that landed on the other end of the row we were in.

It didn't seem like a whole lot happened for much of the game. It was already 1-0 Pirates when we got there, and then Jerry Hairston homered in the bottom of the third to tie it (I got a pretty great shot of it, if I do say so myself). The Pirates scored 2 to go ahead 3-1 while I was scouting the concession stands in the 6th, then Jay Bruce drove in one in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-2. And that's where it stayed until the bottom of the ninth.

I had a good feeling when Griffey came to the plate. No matter what his stats say he's doing this year, he's a guy I want at the plate with the game on the line. I definitely didn't expect him to end it with a walk-off home run, though. It was awesome, and complete pandemonium broke out. I was trying to take more photos, but I was too busy jumping up and down and screaming while fireworks went off (from two locations - one for the home run, one for the win) and the Reds poured out of the dugout to celebrate at home plate. That was definitely the best finish to any game I've ever attended.

Reds 8 Braves 7

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (B. Livingston)
Visiting Team: Atlanta Braves (J. Reyes)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:05 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi, Amy, Doug, Miranda

Game Story | Official Box Score | My Photos

Going to this game was an unexpected surprise. My friend Amy won the tickets, and she and her husband Doug invited Brandi and I to go along. They also brought their nine-month old daughter Miranda to her first big-league ballgame. I normally don't really like babies, but she was really good the whole time, so that was cool.

The seats we had were really good, pretty much right behind third base, 25 or so rows up. The game went back and forth--Atlanta jumped out early, then the Reds came back and went ahead, then the Braves did the same, then the Reds tied and finally went ahead for good. It was a great game, and pretty much everybody in the Reds lineup did something, which was awesome.

At this point, I have an announcement to make. I've been passively seeking a new favorite player since Barry Larkin retired, and I believe I've finally found him. Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips (whom I frequently refer to as "Beef") is an absolute joy to watch. On this night, he went 3 for 5 with a home run and 2 RBI, including the game winner. Every game, it seems, he does something that's worth seeing. I don't know his contract details or anything, but I really hope the Reds lock him up for the long haul.

Reds 5 Diamondbacks 4

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (H. Bailey)
Visiting Team: Arizona Diamondbacks (B. Webb)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:05 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Game Story | Official Box Score | My Photos

Tickets to sporting events are always a great present for me, which is something my lovely wife Brandi takes advantage of quite often. The tickets to this game were a present for my 30th birthday, so that was pretty cool. As much as I love going to Reds games, I got even more excited when terrible manager Jerry Narron was fired, and I got even MORE excited when I learned that phenom Homer Bailey would be pitching for the home team.

We got to the stadium pretty early in hopes of getting some autographs during batting practice. No dice, but we did get to watch batting practice right up close, which was pretty cool.

My only disappointment was that Homer pitched just five innings. He was pitching really well, and I wanted to see him keep going. New manager Pete Mackanin decided to take him out with a lead in hopes of getting a win, though, and I can't argue too much with that for a young pitcher, even though it didn't work out. The Reds did win the game, of course, but Homer didn't get the victory since the Diamondbacks tied the game after he left.

The great Reds bullpen strikes again. Todd Coffey gave up a 3-run homer to Eric Byrnes to tie the game, and I had a pretty bad feeling at that point. The combination of Brandon Phillips and Norris Hopper got the Reds a run in the bottom of the eighth, though, and then David Weathers shut down the D-Backs in the ninth to secure the win.

We had great seats, saw a great game, and had a great time. All in all, I'd say these tickets were a great present, and a great way to bid adieu to my 20s.