Dispatch Report: A Saturday Night Sell-out in Cincinnati

I think this was the second pitch of the game. Bronson Arroyo was the hard luck loser on a night in which the Reds couldn’t scratch across enough against Randy Wells (he seems to do well against Cincinnati) and the Cubs. Arroyo gave up a solo home run to Xavier Nady and a two-run home run to Kosuke Fukudome. The Reds are now 2-8 when I’m in attendance at the park this season.
The second night in a row in which Jay Bruce hit lead off. Bruce also made an incredible catch in the top of the second inning to take away a home run.

This was the night after Jay Bruce’s 3-home run game. There is the moondeck in which Bruce’s three homers landed. Just thought I’d get a shot of this, and although I missed the once in a lifetime event by a night, I was there just hours after the smoke cleared from the three bombs.

And while it was hard to follow up a three home run night, Bruce walked, singled on a line drive to right field, and struck out twice while working a full count in each strike out. Really, it was four good at-bats out of the leadoff spot.
Here’s Joey Votto crossing the plate on his 32nd home run of the season. Votto is still leading the world in hitting at .327, but this was his only hit of the night. A lazer home run to right center field that tied the game at 1-1 (after Xavier Nady’s solo home run in the 2nd inning). You just hope that opposing teams don’t start pitching around Joey Votto too much in the pennant race, which they most assuredly will at times.
A view over the river into Kentucky that most of the stadium can’t see. Despite being pretty muggy preceding several chilly nights that felt like fall, it was a beautiful night. And in my dreams I’d get to spend a summer living in one of those homes in the picture. You often wonder about the people who own those homes. Do they go to the ballpark several times a week? If they don’t, they should. That would be the life. A house on the water just a stone’s throw from Newport, and right across the river from the greatest baseball hotspot on earth.

In my next life, I’d like to own one of those homes.