I paid some bills Sunday morning then gathered my notebook,sunblock and sunglasses and drove down to the subway station. I realized that I had left my pen with my checkbook. A writer without a pen who needs to start his bills electronically.

I had to buy a pen where I get my morning coffee during the week. “I only have red,”the owner said. “Thats' Ok,” I said. “I guess its appropriate because we're playing the Reds.

My ballgame friends were all working this weekend. I decided to post an ad on Craiglsist's men for women section. “Sunday In The Park With George (Steinbrenner)" hoping to meet an arsty woman who was into the Yankees. The first woman to respond told me that she was a Yankee fan who grew up in Cooperstown. I couldn't resist that so I invited her. I met Sandra outside the Stadium as it began to drizzle.

Andy Pettitte would start for the Yankees and attempt to salvage the finale of the three game series against Cincinnatti. Johnny Cueto started for the Reds as they were going for the sweep.

The first four innings went quickly. In the Yankees half of the fifth, Jason Giambi led off with a single. We began to hear thunder rumbling in the distance. Jorge Posada followed with a double and Giambi stopped at third. Robinson Cano hit a sacrifice fly to center field and the Yankees had a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the sixth inning, the skies turned very dark. Lightning bolts flashed in sky over the court house and it began to rain. Pettitte allowed a couple of runners but got out of the inning as the sky opened up. We huddled under Sandra's umbrella for a moment but had to retreat inside as the rain became torrential.

We waited out the rain by the beer stand. A young man approached me and asked if I'd help him get some beer as he wanted to buy three and the stand would only sell two at a time. “I'm Andrew,” he said, introducing himself. “Rich” I said, shaking his hand. He bought me a beer and offered one to Sandra who wasn't drinking.

We waited a few more minutes and went back up the ramp. The sun was shining, the sky was bright blue and the grounds crew was readying the field for resumption of play. It was as it was a completely different day.

Gary Majewski started the sixth for the Reds after the delay. Derek Jeter greeted him with a single. Two outs later, Hideki Matsui singled and the Yankees had runners on first and second. Dusty Baker brought in Jeremy Affeldt to face Giambi. Jason slashed a double to left that scored Jeter and Matsui and the Yankees had a 3-0 lead to the delight of the drying off crowd. Posada followed with another double scoring Giambi and extending the lead to 4-0.

Edwar Ramirez pitched a scoreless seventh. Kyle Farnsworth came in the eighth and got two quick outs before giving up Ken Griffey Jr.'s 601st career homer. After taking a single off of his hand, Farnsworth left and Mariano Rivera came in. The Reds got a couple of runners on in the ninth but couldn't score as Rivera closed out the game for the save. It was first win over the Reds at Yankee Stadium since the 1961 World Series.

On the way up the ramp, we ran into Andrew, the young man who had bought me the beer. “Hey Rich,” he said and nodded to Sandra and I, “Enjoy the rest of your day.”

We made it down the ramps, cut through the parking lot and got on the 4 train in great time. Sandra parted at 59th Street and I switched the for the Q at 14th Street. While the train was delayed briefly on the Manhattan Bridge, it began to rain again but by the time I reached my station, the sun was shining brightly.