Reds humbled by awesome scene in Iowa

DYERSVILLE, Iowa -- On a day filled with nostalgia about baseball and one very special movie, the Reds could've used an added sprinkle of magic and mysticism from the cornfield. It was just about the only thing missing from the game they lost to the Cubs, 4-2, on Thursday at the Field of Dreams site.

“Obviously we wanted to go out and win that game," Reds manager David Bell said. "Disappointed there, but there is no way anything can take away from the day we had here. It was a great experience. I heard so many people throughout our clubhouse saying it’s something they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.”

? Box score

Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo was one strike from completing a perfect top of the first inning when he hit Patrick Wisdom with a backdoor slider. That opened the door for the Cubs, who notched three consecutive hits and scored three runs -- including Ian Happ's RBI double to left-center field that made it a 3-0 game.

“It’s frustrating, no doubt about it," Lodolo said. "I look back at it and what I could have done. Obviously, would’ve, should’ve, could’ve. I was that close to continuing to pitch deeper into the game and keeping us in the ballgame right from the jump."

A one-out RBI single in the fourth inning by Nick Madrigal made it 4-0. The defensive play of the game followed when right fielder Aristides Aquino caught Willson Contreras' fly ball and threw a perfect one-hop strike to third base to get P.J. Higgins for an inning-ending double play. Aquino celebrated by blowing on two fingers on his right hand after notching his eighth outfield assist of the season.

? Top moments from an enchanting game

“It means a lot. I was super happy when that happened," Aquino said. "I wanted to celebrate feeling good and putting my ability in the game.”

Lodolo allowed four runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings. The rookie lefty walked four and struck out six.

"I’m happy I got to pitch in it. It was like a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I was pretty fortunate for that, it was cool," Lodolo said.

The Reds finally got on the (manual) scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh inning. Following a leadoff double by Jose Barrero and pinch-hitter Jake Fraley's walk, Matt Reynolds drove in both runners with a two-run double through the gap in right-center field, but Cincinnati went on to lose its fourth consecutive game.

The Reds began Thursday in New York and flew to Iowa for the game. As their buses carried them from the airport in Dubuque to the Field of Dreams site, they felt the anticipation and appreciation.

"The welcome from people on the side of the road as we were driving in was pretty humbling. The signs, the waves -- I felt like all I could do was respond," Reds first baseman Joey Votto said. "I was pretty much waving the entire trip from the airport to the ballpark.”

? Smoltz honors late father at Field of Dreams Game

On Wednesday evening, Votto rewatched "Field of Dreams" -- a film he grew up enjoying with his family as a kid in Toronto. The climactic scene of catch between Ray Kinsella and his father resonated even more for Votto, whose father passed away in 2008.

"For me, watching the movie is something that my father and I shared," Votto said. "I would give anything for him. I wish he was here. I wish I could bring him to tonight’s game, we'd go out on the field and do something that we did from when I was 8 or 9 years old. It’s really eerie how much the movie allowed me to look back on that experience."

Bell, who also recently rewatched the movie, loved how it depicted the joy of the 1919 White Sox players emerging from the corn and immediately getting into playing ball.

"I always try to imagine what it would have been like for those guys to come back, they’re just out there because they love the game. There’s no other reason to be out there," Bell said. "They’re out there playing with their teammates, having a good time competing -- that’s a beautiful thing to me. It’s kind of what we’re always trying to recreate. We talk about it a lot as a team."

For the 7,823 fans at the stadium, the joy was palpable when the pregame festivities began with former Reds greats Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey Sr. emerging from the cornfield to "have a catch."

The Griffeys were followed by a host of Hall of Famers representing both franchises as well as the current rosters of both clubs.

"I’ve been to the All-Star Game a few times, but I can’t remember an experience quite like this," Votto said. "It felt very intimate. Today’s game was very, very distinct. Very different from what we’re used to, but in a good way."

As a third-generation Major League player, Bell knew the day would be different than any other he's experienced in baseball, and he appreciated the moment.

"Our team, we’ve been through a lot. The playoff picture has eluded us. But it’s almost a reward to be able to play as a team in a bigger-than-normal game in the middle of the season," Bell said. "I’m happier for our players to get to do that and show who we are a little bit more than we have all year.”