The Night The Lights Went Out For The Wahoos

August 14, 2014

The Southern League rivalry between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Mobile BayBears will be remembered Wednesday for the first ever game delay because the ballpark lights went out.

The field and fans sat in complete darkness for about 15 minutes in the top of the ninth inning, right in the middle of a Mobile rally. The BayBears had the bases loaded with one out after scoring two runs to go ahead, 4-3.

That’s when the lights on the first base side went out. When the lights came back on, the lights on the first base side did not return to full power.

As a result, the umpires suspended the game until 5:30 p.m. Thursday. The regularly scheduled game will start 30 minutes after the suspended game ends.

Blue Wahoos officials were still trying to figure out why the malfunction happened late Wednesday night.

Blue Wahoos Manager Delino DeShields said he has “never” experienced a suspended game because of the lights going out in his nearly 30 years of professional baseball.

“I’ve had the lights go out before temporarily but not to suspend a game,” DeShields said.

He said he doubts the blackout will effect the game’s outcome.

“I don’t think it will really matter much,” DeShields said. “The bases are loaded and one out. We’ll see what happens.”

Pensacola had comeback with three runs on five hits in the eighth inning to take the lead, 3-2. First baseman Travis Mattair pushed a single through to right field that scored Ryan Wright and Kyle Waldrop.

The third game of the five-game series with Arizona DiamondBacks Double-A affiliate the Mobile BayBears gets underway at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. RHP Ben Lively (1-6, 3.96) takes the mound for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by the BayBears RHP A.J. Schugel (5-2, 3.43).

by Tommy Thrall

Comments

Comments are closed.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports, TOP sports