CUBBIES WIN AT ‘MAGIC’ FIELD
After the Griffeys played catch in Iowa, Drew Smyly took over.
Smyly struck out nine in five scoreless innings, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 on Thursday night in Major League Baseball’s second “Field of Dreams” game.
Seiya Suzuki reached three times and Nick Madrigal had three hits for Chicago in a throwback ballpark a short walk away from the main field for the beloved 1989 movie. Ian Happ had two hits and drove in a run.
“It’s really magic,” Cubs catcher Willson Contreras said of the field. “It has some kind of energy that I think is real.”
The night began with Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. and his father emerging from the iconic outfield cornstalks for their own version of a memorable scene from the film, delighting the sellout crowd of 7,823.
“Hey dad, do you wanna have a catch,” Junior said.
“I’d like that,” Senior said.
The Griffeys then played catch as more parents and children joined them on the field with their own balls and gloves, followed by the Cubs and Reds, dressed in special uniforms inspired by how the franchises looked in the early 20th century.
“What they’ve done here is incredible. I think every baseball player should experience this,” Reds third baseman Kyle Farmer said.
Finally getting a shot
The Rockies are calling up well-traveled Rancho Bernardo High product Wynton Bernard, a soon to be 32-year-old outfielder who was a 35th-round draft pick by the Padres in 2012 out of Niagara University.
Bernard didn’t reach Double-A with the Padres. He also has spent time in
the Tigers, Giants, Cubs and Rockies organizations before breaking out this season with a .325/.374/.588 batting line at Triple-A Albuquerque with 17 homers and 74 RBIs. His .962 OPS is fourth in the Pacific Coast League, with 26 steals in 28 tries.
Rockies CF Yonathan Daza suffered a dislocated left shoulder making a tumbling catch Thursday, probably necessitating the move.
Notable
The Mariners reinstated
All-Star CF Julio Rodriguez and C Curt Casali from the 10-day injured list on ahead of a lengthy road trip. Rodriguez has been sidelined since getting hit on the wrist by a pitch in Houston on July 30. To clear spots on the roster, Seattle optioned OF Jarred Kelenic to Triple-A Tacoma and designated for assignment C Luis Torrens, the former Padres farmhand who had the winning hit vs. the Yankees in Tuesday night’s 1-0 victory in 13 innings.