The Findlay Market parade made its way down Race Street on a picture-perfect Thursday afternoon. Grand Marshal Jeff Brantley, proudly wearing his old Reds number 45 jersey, waved to the crowd with the ease of a seasoned pro.
Great American Ball Park was in pristine condition, looking as immaculate as Augusta National. The air was filled with the mouthwatering aroma of ballpark hot dogs, and the weather was a glorious 81 degrees-ideal for snapping photos and enjoying the day.
Marlana VanHoose delivered a flawless National Anthem, setting the stage for a flyover by four helicopters, each trailing a massive American flag that covered much of the field.
But when the Cincinnati Reds took the field, the excitement quickly fizzled. They fell to the Boston Red Sox 3-0 in their Opening Day matchup, leaving 43,897 fans feeling a bit deflated.
Facing one of baseball's elite pitchers, Garrett Crochet, the Reds' offense struggled. Crochet, coming off a stellar season with an 18-5 record and a 2.89 ERA, was in top form. The Reds managed only four hits, three courtesy of rookie first baseman Sal Stewart.
Reds starter Andrew Abbott, stepping in for the injured Hunter Greene, held his own against Crochet. Abbott, the first lefty to start Opening Day for the Reds in 27 years, matched Crochet's scoreless innings, navigating through seven hits with Houdini-like escapes.
The game remained scoreless until the seventh when Reds manager Tito Francona turned to his bullpen. Pierce Johnson took the mound, and Boston's Marcelo Mayer greeted him with a double. The Red Sox played small ball to perfection, with Carlos Narvaez bunting Mayer to third, and Ceddanne Rafaela driving him in with a single.
The game stayed 1-0 until the ninth. Brock Burke, making his Reds debut, ran into trouble. A controversial call by the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) extended an inning that saw Trevor Story drive in another run, and Jason Durbin add one more to make it 3-0.
Enter Aroldis Chapman, the former Reds fireballer, now with Boston. At 38, he still brings the heat, clocking 100 mph fastballs to close out the game with three consecutive flyouts.
The ABS system had already stung the Reds earlier in the game, overturning a call that led to Eugenio Suarez striking out in a crucial moment. Suarez had a tough day, striking out three times and leaving five runners stranded.
Before the game, Suarez confidently declared, “I’m already ready, ready.” But the Reds will need to regroup for the second game of the series on Saturday.
Francona, ever the pragmatist, summed it up before the game: “Opening Day is Overreaction Day. If we win, we’re going to the World Series.
If we lose, we suck.” The Reds' performance leaned toward the latter.
Despite the loss, Francona's message remains clear: “It’s time.” The Reds are looking to exceed expectations this season, especially after last year’s playoff exit.
Elly De La Cruz echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the team’s desire to advance further this year. He managed a single hit on Thursday but, like the rest of the team, is eager to bounce back.
With 161 games to go, there's plenty of time for the Reds to find their stride. But they'll need to start putting runs on the board soon to fulfill those grand expectations.
NEXT GAME
Who: Red Sox at Reds
When: 4:10 p.m., Saturday, March 28
Streaming: Reds.TV
Radio: 1410-AM