Rained Out!

Last night was my son's final (barring post season) baseball game. They HAD to win in order to advance to the playoffs--the 11 year old boy equivalent of the promised land. The stage was set: they were to play the Reds, their teammates in the All Star game, their opponents twice before. They had a 1 and 1 record, so this was the rubber game. Did I mention that I love baseball?

Yesterday, the weather report called for scattered showers, high of 82 degrees. We reached the day's high pretty early, and by 3:30 the thunder storms started popping up over Westchester, the Bronx, Jersey, Staten Island, Brooklyn and Manhattan. Miraculously Queens in general, and the ICYP fields in particular stayed dry. I called the field house, and was told they would play. I headed to the ballpark directly from work.

Game gets under way. We scored 2 in the first, and 1 in the second. We kept the Reds scoreless through 3. All we needed was to get to the end of the 4th inning for the game to be official. Everyone had their eye to the increasingly threatening sky. Few drops in the top of the 4th--eh, who cares--we played on. Chris struck out looking, as did Daniel. A scoreless fourth. Umbrellas started popping up in the bleachers.

Bottom of the 4th. Reds up to bat. John walks 1, stolen base, 1 out. Reds definitely threatening. Rained a little harder, Orioles fans hoping it'll pass over, Reds fans praying for a rain out. The deluge began and play was suspended. Five minutes later, lightening, game called. Kids, parents, coaches, umpire all scatter from the far back field to the shelter of either their cars or the field house. We drove a dejected teammate and his mom home. Before we got there, the rain stopped, the skies began to clear. And we have to play FROM SCRATCH on Thursday. ARGH!!!!

r.