BALTIMORE—In a season of disappointments and strange developments, Oriole fans had to endure a bizarre and unexpected rain delay on Thursday.
In the bottom of the fifth, rain began falling during the Orioles-Mariners despite no rain in the forecast. The Orioles’ head groundskeeper, Nicole Sherry, who regularly advises umpires ahead of impending storms, hadn’t talked with crew chief Mike Muchlinski about the weather.
Sherry’s grounds crew remained in their shed until the top of the sixth when Muchlinski called for the tarp to be placed on the field.
Rain ended quickly, but the grounds crew had to spend extra time raking and sanding the rain-soaked field.
After consulting with Sherry, Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino and Seattle manager Dan Wilson, the tarp was put back on the field about 3:25 p.m., about 45 minutes after the initial rain delay.
The Orioles, who led 5-0, are scheduled to play at Houston on Friday night. The Mariners are playing the New York Mets at Citi Field.
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