There’s something romantic about watching a ballgame in a half-empty ballpark on a summer afternoon. The game feels less like a big time event and more like something to do in the city if you’re nearby — a pastime, in other words, which is what it’s supposed to be. I wouldn’t want to watch my team play in that environment every day (or even more than just a couple times a season, really) but it’s fun every once in a while.
While the Reds went right to the pen following last night’s rain delay, Alex Cora made the aggressive decision to throw Brayan Bello and treat this one like a full start instead of a resumed game, saving the bullpen for tonight.