Guardians-Rays MLB playoff game start delayed by rain / Photo: JAMIE SQUIRE - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Guardians-Rays MLB playoff game start delayed by rain
The start of the Cleveland Guardians' home playoff game against the Tampa Bay Rays was delayed after rain pounded Cleveland on Friday, but officials still hoped to get the game underway.
The Guardians held a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series going into Friday's game four.
They are also scheduled to host game five on Saturday, with the teams due to travel to Florida on Sunday for games six and seven if necessary.
Less than an hour before the scheduled first pitch at 8:08 pm (00:08 GMT) Major League Baseball said in a statement that the game would "begin in a delay".
"We will provide updates regarding the preparation of the field and any other potential adjustments as they become available."
Grounds crew briefly removed the protective tarp covering the infield and began working to clear standing water on the warning track shortly before the original scheduled start time.
The forecast called for intermittent showers and chilly temperatures for much of the night.
The Rays are chasing their first World Series title, having come up short in the Fall Classic in 2008 and 2020.
Cleveland are out to end the longest active title drought in MLB, having last won it all in 1948. Cleveland have been to the World Series four times since then and come up empty, most recently in 2016.
The winners of the series will take on the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series starting on October 23.
The Brewers swept the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 in the National League Championship Series.
C.Schneider--FFMTZ
