Major League Baseball was back in heaven Thursday night. Or was it Iowa?
The Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds met at a ballpark next to the filming location of the iconic 1989 movie “Field of Dreams,” where Ray Kinsella (played by Kevin Costner) built a baseball field in the middle of his cornfields at the direction of a mysterious voice that told him, “If you build it, they will come.”
The Cubs did most of their scoring early in the game, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. They never looked back after that, winning the contest 4-2. Second baseman Nick Madrigal led the way for Chicago with a 3-for-5 night at the plate and 1 RBI.
The scene from Dyersville, Iowa gave spectators a lot to take in. From a heartwarming father-son moment with the Griffeys to players touring the cornfields, it was an action-packed day at the Field of Dreams game.
Here are some of the best moments from Thursday’s contest.
Cubs win, cue the fireworks
The night ended with a fireworks display over the corn despite zero balls flying into them as neither team tallied a home run. Following Chicago’s victory, country star Walker Hayes took the stage for a postgame concert. — Jesse Rogers
Cubs win! Cubs win! #MLBatFieldofDreams pic.twitter.com/bj76HcbM5Z
— MLB (@MLB) August 12, 2022
Hey, Iowa, whaddya say? #MLBAtFieldOfDreams pic.twitter.com/takDstavBa
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 12, 2022
Reds get on the board
The Reds didn’t go down easy. They cut the deficit in half thanks to a Matt Reynolds double that allowed Jake Fraley and Jose Barrero to score.
Matt Reynolds gets us on the board! #MLBatFieldofDreams pic.twitter.com/w8IKIawwT3
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 12, 2022
A legendary seventh-inning stretch
Fox brought legendary Cubs broadcaster, Harry Caray, back to life — sort of — for the seventh-inning stretch. A hologram resembling Caray led the crowd in “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Fans had their cameras out for the moment which came not long after dusk. Caray disappeared into the night afterward. — Jesse Rogers
Cubs add a run, but nothing more
Nick Madrigal singled to center field leading to a Nelson Velazquez run to give Chicago a 4-0 lead. But Reds outfielder Aristides Aquino ended the inning with a solo double play, catching a flyball and then throwing a laser to third for the third out.
Punished for trying to run. #MLBatFieldofDreams pic.twitter.com/yZ1GlEKmng
— MLB (@MLB) August 12, 2022
Quite the crowd
The Field of Dreams game was a sellout with an announced attendance of 7,823. — Jesse Rogers
Scoring early and often
The Cubs didn’t wait long to score the game’s first runs. Starting with Seiya Suzuki driving Patrick Wisdom home, they racked up three runs in the top of the first.
The @Cubs couldn’t have dreamed of a better start. #MLBatFieldofDreams pic.twitter.com/q1LMmbD09Y
— MLB (@MLB) August 11, 2022
A father-son moment
Before the first pitch, Reds greats Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. emerged from the cornfields in right to “have a catch,” followed by current Reds and Cubs. All walked together to the infield where they were met by Hall of Famers and former players from each squad. Cubs legend Ferguson Jenkins then threw out the first pitch to former Reds star Johnny Bench. — Jesse Rogers
“Hey dad, you want to have a catch?”
The Griffeys are making us tear up. #MLBatFieldOfDreams pic.twitter.com/FPXuppj11x
— MLB (@MLB) August 11, 2022
The @Reds and @Cubs enter the Field of Dreams accompanied by legends. #MLBatFieldofDreams pic.twitter.com/UJJ784kU75
— MLB (@MLB) August 11, 2022
Taking it all in
Before the game, Cubs and Reds players enjoyed a tour of the ballpark. There is a pathway through the cornfields that leads to the site where scenes from the 1989 sports drama were filmed.
“This. Place. Is. AWESOME!”
– @JoeyVotto pic.twitter.com/Y6vi3GEjwF
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 11, 2022
“Wait, so the bullpen is 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 way?” pic.twitter.com/uhcD8pWPLt
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 11, 2022
You people are guests in my corn. pic.twitter.com/rYUZ5hn31s
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 11, 2022
The Reds’ mascots also took part in the sightseeing.
Legends of the corn. #MLBatFieldOfDreams pic.twitter.com/q7hyXXAj2C
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 11, 2022
Source: www.espn.com