The stuff of which Dreams (& Legends) are made

The legend of Jay Bruce just keeps growing. On a night when the Reds were only destined to get 7 base hits in total, this kid gets 4 of them, sprayed all over the ballpark; and scores the winning run in the 11th inning to lead his group to a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves.

We’re not trying to over-state the ‘Bruce factor’, but there’s difference beyond the play of the Reds. The stadium welcomed a crowd of 37,015 of which 5,298 were walk-up to see the boy wonder in action. As one of my best friends said when we were driving down I-71 the other night guzzling Miller Lights, faced with a sudden stop of cars: “It’s Bruce traffic.”

Not to be lost on this night were the efforts of the Reds bullpen or Edison Volquez. Jared Burton went 6 up and 6 down late in the game through the heart of the Atlanta order. Kent Mercker got Chipper Jones to ground into a double play in the top of the 11th after a leadoff hit.

The Reds are really exciting me. They’ve made me fall in love with the game all over again at age 25. Something about this group right now feels electric and special. It’s a fun time right now.