Royals-White Sox suspended, to resume today

CHICAGO -- The rain created all sorts of havoc for the Royals and White Sox on Monday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field in a game ultimately suspended with a 1-1 score and two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning due to unplayable field conditions.

It will be picked up and completed prior to today’s regularly scheduled contest between the two teams beginning at 4:40 p.m. CT. The second contest is set to begin 30 or 40 minutes after, but no sooner than 6:40 p.m.

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This torrential downpour also produced one interesting moment in the stretched-out fifth. With the Royals leading, 1-0, the White Sox had runners on first and second with one out and Yolmer Sánchez at the plate. The switch-hitter was batting left-handed against Kansas City starter Homer Bailey, working the count to 2-1 before the game was delayed for two hours and 55 minutes at 2:38 p.m.

When the game briefly resumed at 5:33 p.m., left-handed reliever Brian Flynn had entered to pitch. So Sanchez turned around to hit right-handed and singled home the game-tying run.

“I have not seen that before,” said White Sox manager Rick Renteria of Sanchez’s at-bat from both sides of the plate. “But that had more to do with the weather causing that.

“Other than an injury possibly doing something to a switch-hitter, turning him around because you bring in a different pitcher. But no, I haven't seen anything like that before.”

Kansas City scored its only run off of White Sox starter Iván Nova in the fourth when Hunter Dozier singled home Adalberto Mondesi with two outs. Bailey allowed one hit over the first four innings before giving up fifth-inning singles to James McCann and Jose Rondon.

Rain began in the second inning and it was pouring for two innings, with an occasional flash of lightning. But the game played on until thunder and lightning struck again in the fifth with Sanchez at the plate and the rain sheeting down. Despite the best efforts from White Sox head groundskeeper Roger Bossard and his crew, puddles of water formed all around the infield. The rain delay also left large puddles on the warning track.

Rondon was caught off second on Sanchez’s single, as the Royals threw behind him to record the second out. Ryan Cordell was at the plate with a 2-2 count and Sanchez on second when the game was delayed again and ultimately stopped.

Fans with game tickets, parking coupons and Huntington Bank Stadium Club passes dated May 28 will be allowed to enter the ballpark to see the conclusion of the suspended game and the regularly scheduled contest. All tickets, coupons and passes dated for May 27 will not be accepted for entry into the ballpark tomorrow.

Gates to the ballpark will open at 3:40 p.m., and parking lots will open at 3 p.m Tuesday. Fans with game tickets, parking coupons and Huntington Bank Stadium Club passes dated May 27 can apply those values to any future regular-season White Sox home game, including Tuesday. All exchanges must be done at the Guaranteed Rate Field box office during regular business hours.

Renteria did not name a reliever to start for the suspended game Tuesday. Bossard and his crew were busy repairing the field as the sun shined down after the official game decision was made just before 7 p.m.

“Our field's got a lot of water on it right now, especially after the last dousing,” Renteria said. “It had a lot of water on it, obviously, accumulating during the whole ballgame. I'm sure he's going to have his hands full getting ready for tomorrow.”