The Baltimore Orioles have gotten their feathers in a bunch, and no one can blame them. Thursday night against the Yankees, the skies opened and released a downpour upon Camden Yards. The score was tied at 6-6 in the top of the eighth inning. The Yanks had runners on second and third with Derek Jeter coming to bat when the rain began falling harder. The game had already been delayed once for rain, and this looked like the perfect spot for another delay. However, the umpires let the teams continue although it was visibly clear on my TV screen that all the players were having a difficult time dealing with the heavy precipitation. Jeter was shaking water off his helmet and cleaning mud from his spikes. Still, play continued, and Jeter eventually lined a single that scored the two runners giving the Bronx Bombers an 8-6 lead. At that point, the umpires sent the teams off the field and the grounds crew rolled out the tarp, for the night, as it turned out. Melvin Mora was seen on TV arguing with the umps, and frankly, all of the Birds should have been on the field to convey their displeasure. I’m not sure why the umpires kept the game going through the downpour, unless they were hoping Jeter would make a quick out to complete the inning.
The Baltimore Sun’s Roch Kubatko has some good
quotes from Mora, who was tossed for airing his grievances with the ump, and O’s hurler Chris Wray, who was on the mound during the rain.
The game was suspended and will resume July 27.
Below is nice AP photo of Jeter's go-ahead hit in the driving rain.
It’s opening day, and threats of rain and snow already have claimed two games. The snowy forecast in Chicago led officials Sunday to postpone Monday’s White Sox opener, and rain in Boston today has led to delaying the Red Sox contest with Tampa. Also, rain has been falling in Cincinnati, but the Reds and Mets continue to play through. And, as you can see in the photo, the tarp has been on the field today in Baltimore, but it looks like the O’s and Yankees will begin on time.
