CHICAGO (AP) — Not much has stopped the Seattle Mariners lately. Rain — lots of it — got in their way on Saturday.
The game between the Mariners and Chicago White Sox was suspended in the third inning because of a heavy downpour after being delayed at the start.
It will be resumed Sunday prior to the scheduled series finale. The suspended game will be a nine-inning affair, with the originally scheduled one now set for seven innings.
The pitching matchups for both games were not clear. Chicago’s Dallas Keuchel and Seattle’s Marco Gonzales were scheduled to pitch Sunday. But Mariners manager Scott Servais said Gonzales is in Seattle because his wife is due to give birth.
“Crazy day,” Servais said. “Disappointing we didn’t get farther into that game. … The weather in the Midwest is very unpredictable. Certainly by the lake, you never know what’s gonna happen.”
The Mariners are rolling with nine wins in 11 games, while the AL Central-leading White Sox have dropped six of seven. Seattle won 9-3 Friday in Chicago’s first home game without COVID-19 attendance restrictions since 2019.
The teams waited out a delay of more than an hour prior to Saturday’s first pitch as rain poured and tornado sirens blared in the city. Play was stopped again after the top of the third because of another downpour.
Chicago’s Lance Lynn and Seattle rookie Logan Gilbert looked sharp.
Lynn, second in the AL in ERA behind teammate Carlos Rodón, did not allow a hit. He struck out four and walked two after getting roughed up in a loss at Houston a week earlier.
Gilbert gave up a bloop single to José Abreu in the second and struck out three without a walk.
The 6-foot-6 right-hander had just gone out to warm up for the third when it started pouring again. The umpires waved the players off the field.
“Disappointing for Logan Gilbert,” Servais said. “I think he felt — as we did on the bench watching him — it might have been the best stuff he’s had since he’s been here.”
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