The Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds, 4-2, on Thursday, however that was hardly the purpose.
Major League Baseball had as soon as once more discovered its strategy to Dyersville, Iowa, for its Field of Dreams sport, and a sport that typically struggles with its technological future bought a reminder of how nice the sport could be when it’s damaged down into its easiest type.
“It’s really magic,” Cubs catcher Willson Contreras instructed reporters of the sphere, which is a brief stroll from the one utilized in “Field of Dreams,” the 1989 movie starring Kevin Costner. “It has some kind of energy that I think is real.”
The Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., a Reds alum, performed catch along with his father — a fairly good participant for the Reds in his personal proper — earlier than the sport, the scoreboard made Fenway Park’s appear trendy and each groups wore throwback uniforms that harked again to the times when the rebuilding golf equipment had been a bit extra related.
“What they’ve done here is incredible,” Kyle Farmer, a 3rd baseman for the Reds, instructed reporters. “I think every baseball player should experience this.”
As for the baseball, the Cubs stayed on the classic theme by taking a 3-0 lead within the prime of the primary inning with a hit-by-pitch, two doubles and a single. Neither staff homered into the corn stalks within the outfield this yr, and the one actual reminders that the sport was being performed in 2022 had been that the groups mixed to make use of 9 pitchers and there have been 26 strikeouts. (Chicago’s Drew Smyly earned the win by hanging out 9 in 5 scoreless innings.)
Last yr, the Yankees and the Chicago White Sox had confronted off within the first of this now annual occasion, which is Major League Baseball’s reply to the N.H.L.’s out of doors video games. While final yr’s sport had just a little extra sizzle, because of the matchup of contending groups, and just a little extra pop with an thrilling sport, the passion appeared to hold over regardless of this yr’s version not having something of the kind.
The crowd of 7,823 folks — practically double the common inhabitants of Dyersville — appeared thrilled with the occasion, and the gamers had been excited to get their likelihood at the expertise which, at least for now, will come solely yearly for 2 fortunate groups.
“A game like this — you just feel like a kid again,” Smyly stated. “You’re just out there playing baseball in the middle of Iowa.”
