Cold day ends without winner

The Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox went at it for 11 innings Monday — without a winner. With the score tied 3-3, play was suspended when conditions worsened and the infield became unplayable.

By RICK GANO, Associated Press

Last update: April 29, 2008 - 7:14 AM

Print this story

More from Twins

CHICAGO – A day full of rain and cold. A sloppy infield full of mud and puddles. No conditions for a baseball game.

But after a long delay before the first pitch, the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox went at it for 11 innings Monday — without a winner.

With the score tied 3-3, play was suspended when conditions worsened and the infield became unplayable. The game will resume at the beginning of the 12th inning later this season, but no date was set. All the statistics from Monday count.

"It was tough. It was hard. The infield was pretty brutal," Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said. "For the safety of the players, [the umpires] made that decision."

Juan Uribe hit a tying homer in the 11th off Baltimore closer George Sherrill, his first blown save in 10 chances this year. After an error on Orioles shortstop Brandon Fahey in the sloppy conditions, Sherrill got out of a jam with runners at first and second.

The tarp came out as soon as the inning ended, followed by an announcement that the game was suspended.

"The field was really messed up. It was pretty tough, but the grounds crew did a really nice job," said Ramon Hernandez, who gave the Orioles a 3-2 lead in the top of the 11th with a homer off Scott Linebrink.

"I don’t think the game should have been started. It was really cold and rainy. The field was wet. You never could warm up. After 11 innings, why are you stopping the game now? Just let us finish like that. It doesn’t matter now. The field was that bad since the seventh inning. It was raining the whole game. That’s when you should have stopped it, from the beginning."

The start was delayed 2 hours, 6 minutes by rain, and the gametime temperature was only 38 degrees with wind blowing at 12 miles per hour. Rain fell intermittently throughout and picked up in the late innings. Two of the base umpires wore ski masks to protect their ears and faces from the cold.

Recent Twins stories

Trade for Teahen part of White Sox makeover - April 29, 2008

Trade for Teahen part of White Sox makeover - The acquisition of Mark Teahen and move of Gordon Beckham to second base is just the start of a busy offseason for the White Sox. More