A fast-moving storm caused a delay during Sunday’s Angels-White Sox game, creating challenges for the grounds crew at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The storm hit just as the game was tied 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning, bringing heavy rain. The grounds crew rushed to cover the field with a tarp, but they couldn’t fully protect the infield, leaving the area around first base exposed.
To manage the situation, the crew used smaller tarps to cover as much of the field as possible. After the rain stopped, they worked quickly to dry the infield using bags of drying material.
“I’ve faced some tough situations in my career—like eight inches of snow before opening day—but this one is definitely at the top,” said head groundskeeper Roger Bossard. “I’ve never had to deal with hail while pulling the tarp, and I used nearly 4 tons of drying compound.”
After a 2-hour, 48-minute delay, the game resumed, with the Angels securing a 3-2 victory.
“I’m incredibly proud of the crew for the outstanding job they did,” said Bossard, who is in his 59th season with the White Sox. “We all pulled together.”