A sudden torrential downpour Tuesday night in Chicago — and complications with applying the tarp — left Wrigley Field unplayable even after four hours of maintenance by the grounds crew, so the Cubs were awarded a 2-0 victory over the visiting Giants because that was the score when was play was halted after the top of the fifth inning. The Giants filed an official protest with Major League Baseball on Wednesday morning, and for the first time in 28 years that course of action actually worked …
Source: Giants prevail in protest of tarp-snafu game. Game to be resumed at 4 pm Thursday before reg scheduled games. To start B5. Cubs 2-0.
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) August 20, 2014
Bochy said Cubs were supportive in effort. “They all wanted to do the right thing and they were great. They understood.
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) August 20, 2014
Though rare after a non-mechanical failure, playing a suspended game in this case is absolutely the right thing to do. The game obviously means much more to the Giants than the Cubs — given that San Francisco is in contention for a postseason spot — but this would be the correct call if there were no implications at all.
Official now. MLB says tarp wasn’t properly spooled etc after last use causing delay to deploy on Tues. Game suspended.
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) August 20, 2014
Puts onus squarely on Cubs grounds crew.
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) August 20, 2014