Other posts in this series:

The agony of defeat (Reds vs. Rays, March 23, 2008)

Frozen in Florida (Reds vs. Jays, March 24, 2008)

I love the Club Seats (Reds at Phillies, March 25, 2008)

Game report: Reds at Jays, 3/26/08

(Click on the images for larger versions.)

The view outside my hotel:

I arrived in Sarasota way too late to go to the Twins game last night, so I was looking forward to the Pirates game today. I was a little unnerved when I checked Pirates.com and found the game listed as sold out. Sold out? The Pirates?

McKechnie Field is only 7 miles away from my hotel, so I decided to go anyway and see if it was a mistake, or if I could get a ticket from a scalper.

There is no stadium parking at McKechnie Field. The spring training guides say that fans park on the street in the neighborhood. Maybe some do, but most seem to pay for parking at the various businesses in the area, who make good money by charging to park in their lots. (I have no idea what happens to their normal customers. I guess they're out of luck on game day.) Prices ranged from $5 to $15 or so. It pays to shop around. I parked in the lot of an auto body shop in the shadow of the stadium and paid $5.

I was grateful they gave me a spot where I wouldn't be blocked in, because I wasn't sure I would get a ticket. I was also a little nervous at all the rules they had posted. Among them, that you were only allowed to bring in one bag, and it had to be soft-sided and 16" or smaller. I had a backpack much larger than the posted dimensions, with all my camera gear in it.

There was only one ticket window open, and it had a sign in the window that said the game was sold out. I was disappointed, and wondered where the scalpers were. But I noticed a lot of people seemingly buying tickets, and couldn't believe they were all buying tickets for future games. Especially since some of them were wearing Reds gear. So I got in line and asked if there were any tickets for today's game, feeling stupid since the sign right in front of my face said there weren't. But lo and behold, they had six $9 tickets left.

Some people bought tickets from the scalpers on the corner for $20 because they wanted seats for a group together. Waste of money. Though the game was sold out, a lot of people didn't show up. There were plenty of empty seats.

A lot of the people there were Reds fans. There were also a lot of Yankees fans. Not sure why the game was sold out, though. Maybe just because it's Good Friday, and lot of kids were out of school.

And they didn't give me any hassle about my bag or my camera gear. The security guy was supposed to search it, but took one look and said, "Good lord, girl!" and let me in.

My seat was in the assigned bleachers. In the hot sun (I think I'm a bit burnt, even though I was slathered with sunscreen), but pretty good otherwise. In the third row above the concourse, on the aisle, along the first base line. The Reds were warming up on the field when I got there.

Andy Phillips spent a lot of time signing autographs. He stopped for the national anthem, and went back to signing as soon as it was over. I think everyone who asked him got a signature.

Bray also spent a lot of time signing.

Harang was the starter:

Here, he wanted to bunt, but the pitch was too high:

Hustling to cover first base. He's out!

"Wheels" Bako stole 2B and looked like he was ready to try for 3B, too.

This time, when BP made the third out, someone did bring him his hat. (Votto.)

Votto started at 1B and was 2 for 3.

Keppinger on the run, tracking a popup. (It ended up going into the stands.)

There were some good catches by fans today. My favorite was the little old lady who reached out and snagged a foul grounder - stealing it from her husband. (And no, she wouldn't give it to him!)

Freel hustles out of the box, but he was robbed by a great play in center by Nyjer Morgan. Morgan made a couple of webgem-quality plays in center. The Pirates fans gave him a nice ovation when he came to bat.

Dunn at bat.

Dunn doesn't beat the throw, and congratulates LaRoche on a nice play on his way back to the dugout.

Follow the path of Dusty's trail... Dusty's son was playing bat boy today. I guess Dusty figures no one will run over a kid in a spring training game.

When Stanton came in, a lot of fans made jokes about his age.

Closing time...

Final score: Reds 5, Bucs 1. This one belongs to the Reds.