PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Pirates are facing a bit of a soggy situation as they gear up to take on the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park. The game, originally set to start at 4:05 p.m., has been pushed back to 4:40 p.m. due to a rain delay.
The Pittsburgh skies have been in a gloomy mood today, with persistent patches of rain keeping the tarp firmly in place on the field a couple of hours before the game was supposed to kick off. While the forecast doesn't predict any heavy downpours or thunderstorms, the sporadic showers are enough to keep everyone guessing as to when the game can proceed without interruption.
This isn't the first time the Pirates have had to play the waiting game this season. Their last rain delay was against the Reds as well, back on May 1 at PNC Park. That delay was a bit longer, stretching the start time from 6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
In fact, the Pirates have had a few run-ins with the rain this season, all on home turf. They faced a brief 15-minute delay against the Washington Nationals on April 14, and a marathon two-and-a-half-hour delay against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 18, where a thunderstorm halted the game from 4:40 p.m. to 7:05 p.m., after it had initially started at 3:30 p.m.
For those keeping track, that makes this the fourth rain delay of the season for the Pirates. As always, Pirates OnSI will be on standby to provide any updates on changes to the game schedule or in the unfortunate event of a cancellation. Stay tuned for the latest on the Pirates, with news, updates, interviews, and insights coming your way.
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The rest of the picture was less encouraging. Wilber Dotel began a rehab assignment, but his recovery has already required a reassessment after he felt some discomfort, while Spencer Horwitz is facing a longer absence after suffering a left hamstring injury in late June. Horwitz had become a useful middle-order presence before getting hurt, and the Pirates now have to keep piecing together the infield and lineup while waiting for the injury count to settle down. [Read more 🡒]