BALTIMORE _ Tuesday night's series opener between the Orioles and the visiting Tampa Bay Rays was postponed because of a bad weather forecast, with the game rescheduled as part of a Saturday, May 12, doubleheader.
That day will feature a single-admission doubleheader at 3:05 p.m., with the second game starting 30 minutes after the first ends. Tickets for Tuesday's game will not be honored for that game and must be exchanged for another 2018 home date. Existing tickets for the previously scheduled 7:05 p.m. game May 12 will be good for entry to the 3:05 p.m. game that day.
Before Tuesday night's scheduled game, manager Buck Showalter said the Orioles were preparing as if the game would be played.
"Like always, we've got to approach everything like we're playing, [but] so looking at things realistically from the weather report. I've talked to [head groundskeeper] Nicole [Sherry], and [executive vice president of baseball operations] Dan Duquette has talked to me back and forth, so you prepare for both sides of it.
"You guys are looking at the same thing that we're looking at. Obviously, if you can play, you try to play. But it looks like it might be a challenge tonight. But we've played games where it looked like this at 4 o'clock before, so we'll see."
That challenge proved too much to overcome on a day that the Orioles (6-17) coincidentally badly could use having no game. They're waiting on test results on infielder Tim Beckham's injured groin and didn't know whether leadoff hitter Trey Mancini (knee) could play left field or just serve as the designated hitter. A rainout could also provide an opportunity to shuffle the starting rotation.
The Rays and Orioles have two more games on the books this week, Wednesday and Thursday nights, though the rain that's set to begin Tuesday night is expected to continue all through Wednesday.
