BALTIMORE — Despite a miserably cold forecast that didn’t look promising, the Orioles waited until almost an hour after a scheduled 7:05 p.m. first pitch to postpone Saturday’s game with the Tampa Bay Rays.
While the Washington Nationals and the Double-A Bowie Baysox postponed home games hours earlier, Baltimore hoped to play the second contest of a three-game set despite a wintry mix, temperatures dipping below 40 degrees, and a wind chill in the upper 20s. The scheduled first pitch was initially delayed until 7:40 p.m. before the tarp was then put back on the field again and postponed shortly thereafter.
No makeup date was immediately announced, but the Rays return to Baltimore for a three-game set beginning on June 24 and also come to town for a four-game series in mid-September.
Sunday’s original starters will remain in place as right-hander Vance Worley will make his Orioles debut against Tampa Bay right-hander Jake Odorizzi. On Saturday night, Mike Wright had been scheduled to pitch against Rays lefty Drew Smyly.
Below is the release sent out by the Orioles announcing the postponement of Saturday’s game:
Fans are encouraged to exchange their tickets for tomorrow’s game on Sunday, April 10, beginning at 1:35 p.m. ET when the Orioles host the Tampa Bay Rays for the second annual Kids’ Opening Day. The celebration will welcome children and their families to a new season of Orioles Baseball with many fun activities and unique gameday opportunities for several lucky kids throughout the day.
If fans wish to attend tomorrow’s contest, they will need to exchange their tickets from tonight’s game at the Oriole Park Box Office. Box Office windows will be open at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. Fans unable to attend tomorrow’s game are encouraged to keep their tickets until a makeup date is announced. If fans cannot attend the makeup date, tonight’s tickets can be exchanged for any remaining Orioles home game this season on a dollar-for-dollar basis. All exchanges are subject to availability and must be completed by June 25. Complimentary tickets are non-exchangeable. StubHub tickets are also non-exchangeable and must either be used for the makeup date or resold on StubHub once a makeup date is determined.
Kids’ Opening Day will feature a kids-only “Eat. Sleep. Orioles.” T-shirt, available to the first 7,500 fans age 14 and under. Additionally, all fans 14 and under will be able to participate in a postgame Kids Run the Bases, the first of 13 Sunday home games when kids can round the bases like their favorite Orioles. Select children will also be randomly chosen to take the field with the Orioles starters for the national anthem, help deliver the lineup card during the pregame exchange at home plate, and throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game.
