Midnight had come and gone. Cleaning crews were sweeping out the upper deck. Barely one hundred fans were left. Everyone was wondering if it was ever going to end.

Only a few fans were left after the rain delay. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        “Everybody was wishing it was over,” said Juan Encarnacion, who finally ended Wednesday's rain-delayed game at 12:45 a.m. Thursday with a ninth-inning single.

        “I was thinking it was going to be later,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “The way it was looking, we were going to be here a long time.”

        Both teams knew they were in for a long night because of a thunderstorm headed their way. The Rockies are making their only visit here, so there was no chance to play a makeup game later in the season.

        Mark Hirschbeck's umpiring crew was prepared to wait as long as it took.

        “Mark told us before the game that they were going to do everything possible to get it in, and I certainly agreed with that,” Rockies manager Buddy Bell said. “If we were coming back here, it might have been a little different. I don't think either team wanted a doubleheader tomorrow.”

        One fan who will never forget this game is 5-year-old Justin Brown. He was grazed on the shoulder by a hard foul in the second inning, leaving him crying four rows behind the Reds' dugout. Reds catcher Jason LaRue walked over to the railing between innings and passed a baseball up to him, calming him down. He was taken to a medical station, got a cold pack for the shoulder and returned to his seat, clutching the ball.

Reds 4, Rockies 3 Reds box, runs Barely hundred fans at finish Small crowds could mean big trouble for Reds Baseball owners push deal to avert strike Reds broke even last year, baseball says SULLIVAN: Baseball's future lies in balance Owners pitch luxury tax 'Middle-class' players could prove to be key Reds fined for tampering with Griffey No date set on Griffey's return Reds Notebook: Kearns earns playing time Yankees 8, Athletics 5 Angels 10, Mariners 6 Cubs 10, Giants 4 Expos 5, Brewers 4, 15 innings

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