NewsLight outage delays Dodgers-Rangers
Breaker malfunction in one bank stops game in sixth
By T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com
06/14/09 3:21 AM ET
ARLINGTON -- The Dodgers' 3-1 win over the Rangers was delayed after five innings because a bank of lights was out between home plate and first base at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. |
The lights were out from the beginning of the game, but the umpires didn't call time until after five innings in a scoreless game. By then, the sun had gone down and visibility at home plate was becoming increasingly difficult.
Home plate umpire Charlie Reliford made the decision to suspend play after consulting with both managers because of the safety factor.Time was called at 8:17 p.m. CT and the lights were not fixed until about 9:40. Play resumed at 9:58 p.m. with Eddie Guardado replacing starter Scott Feldman on the mound for the Rangers. Cory Wade replaced Dodgers starter Randy Wolf.
The official explanation is that there was a breaker malfunction in the light bank that needed to be fixed by a company not present.
Any fan holding a ticket to Saturday night's game can exchange it at the Ballpark ticket office for a ticket to the July 5 game against the Tampa Bay Rays.Feldman started for the Rangers and his five scoreless innings extended the club's scoreless innings streak to 24.
But that streak ended in the sixth inning. Juan Pierre singled off reliever Eddie Guardado when play resumed. The Dodgers' leadoff hitter went to third on a stolen base and throwing error and scored on Rafael Furcal's grounder.Ex-Dodger Andruw Jones snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a game-tying homer off Cory Wade in the bottom of the sixth. But Matt Kemp hit a two-out, two-run homer off Jason Grilli in the seventh.
T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
