Opening Day is a party needing a script. The party is guaranteed, but without context it’s just a bunch of people marching and driving in the Downtown streets. The game’s the thing. Even on Opening Day.
The Reds won Thursday. They blasted two homers in the 7th inning, one a whooshing, three-run liner by new guy Derek Dietrich, whom the opportunistic brass signed to a very smart $2 million, free-agent deal on Feb. 18. They beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team that likely will replace Cincinnati as the worst team in the NL Central. The final was 5-3.