The Royals’ series opener in Colorado hit a weather snag Friday night, with the Rockies announcing a delay before any official first pitch was set.
“Due to inclement weather, the start of today’s game will be delayed.
We will provide updates as they come available.”
That was the initial word from Colorado, and for a while there wasn’t a clear target time for the opener. The delay came with the usual summer frustration for Kansas City, which has already dealt with its share of weather interruptions this season.
Then came the update. At 7:58 p.m.
CT, the Rockies announced that first pitch was expected at 8:40 p.m. CT.
“Tonight’s first pitch is expected to be at 7:40 pm. https://t.co/WDcSqP0Vxa”
When the game does begin, the Royals are set to send veteran right-hander Michael Wacha to the mound. Kansas City’s offense will face Rockies right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano.
The matchup comes with both teams sitting well out of their division and wild card races, making this one more about salvaging something from the night than changing the bigger picture. For the Royals, Coors Field might have looked like a decent place to find some offense, especially with the club having scored five or fewer runs in every game since July 18.
The weather, at least, appeared to be the only thing threatening to drag this out. The forecast called for more than a 50% chance of thunderstorms through 7 p.m.
CT, with conditions improving as the evening went on. One report described the Denver area as getting a “nice downpour” with hail and lightning mixed in, though it was expected not to last long.
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