Baker recalls wild suspended game as player

CINCINNATI -- Tuesday night's suspended game vs. the Phillies was the first for the Reds since July 30-31, 2004, vs. the Astros. In that game, play was suspended in the top of the 11th after four rain delays that totaled three hours and three minutes. Action resumed at 11:30 a.m. ET the following day, and Jason LaRue won the 3-2 game for the Reds in the 13th inning with a two-out, walk-off double against Chad Harville.

Reds manager Dusty Baker had his own suspended-game saga as a player for the Dodgers on Aug. 17, 1982 vs. the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The ballpark was without lights then and the game was suspended in the 18th inning because of darkness.

Los Angeles won the game the following day by a 2-1 score on Baker's sacrifice fly in the top of the 21st inning. Lefty Jerry Reuss pitched the final four innings for the win, and then worked the regularly scheduled next game for five innings to get two wins in a single day. Baker recalled shuffling back and forth defensively between left field and right field with pitcher Fernando Valenzuela.

"[Manager Tommy] Lasorda put Fernando in left field against a left-handed hitter, and I'd move over for a right-handed hitter. ... That was crazy," Baker said. "It was like running sprints during the game. The umpire was like 'C'mon, c'mon, c'mon.' I was like '... Dude, I just got over here.' I was 1-for-3 in regulation and 1-for-[8 overall]."