PawSox Season Opener At McCoy Snowed Out
Pawtucket Red Sox Press Release
For the third straight year, the Pawtucket Red Sox have had their season-opening game postponed, this time due to snowfall. Tonight’s (Friday’s) scheduled International League game between the host Pawtucket Red Sox and the visiting Lehigh Valley IronPigs at McCoy Stadium has been postponed due to snow and unplayable field conditions.
The PawSox will hold their home-opener tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon with a single game vs. Lehigh Valley at the regularly scheduled 1:35 pm start time at McCoy. Television coverage on myRITV begins at 1:30 pm.
The PawSox and IronPigs will make-up tonight’s snow-out with a doubleheader during Lehigh Valley’s next trip to McCoy from May 25-28.
Fans holding field box seats, reserved box seat tickets or general admission tickets for tonight’s (Friday’s) game at McCoy (without a specific rainout date printed on them) can trade those in for tomorrow’s home-opener or any remaining regular-season game at McCoy based on availability.
In 2016, the PawSox home-opener vs. Buffalo was rained-out marking the first time Pawtucket’s home-opener had been postponed since 2003 when the first three PawSox home games that year were all snowed-out (April 7, 8, and 9 vs. Ottawa). And one year ago tonight on April 6, 2017, the PawSox had their season-opener at Lehigh Valley against these IronPigs postponed due to rain.
Pawtucket has now suffered six postponed home-openers in their 46-year history…1983, 1987, 1998, 2003, 2016, and 2018.
A contributing factor to tonight’s postponement is that McCoy Stadium lacks a modern drainage system.
Pawtucket endured 10 postponements last season (6 at home and 4 on the road) – but had none after June 16 (which came at McCoy). The 6 home postponements were the most since they also had 6 during the 2006 season. In 2016, Pawtucket had 5 rainouts at home…their most since that 2006 season. The PawSox had just one home rainout in both 2014 & 2015 and just three each in 2012 & 2013. The club-record is 11 home postponements in 1982. The month of April, 2017 was the 6th rainiest on record in Pawtucket while May had 21 of 31 days with at least a trace of rain. Last June wasn’t much better with some rain on 19 of the 30 days for a total of more than 5 inches. July usually gets about 3 ½ inches of rain in these parts, but was hit with over 4½. Last August, however, saw a scant 1.46 inches of rain in the Pawtucket area.
The probable pitching match-ups for this abbreviated series :
Lehigh Valley PawSox
Sat. 1:35 pm RHP Zach Eflin (1-4, 4.57 in 2017) vs. RHP Justin Haley (1-2, 2.26 in 2017)
Sun. 1:35 pm RHP Tom Eshelman (10-3, 2.23) vs. LHP Jalen Beeks (6-7, 3.86)
