Pirates vs. Diamondbacks Starting in Rain Delay
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates and Arizona Diamondbacks at PNC Park will start later than expected due to incoming weather in the area.
The Pirates announced that their game vs. the Diamondbacks will begin in a rain delay and that it should start 40 minutes later than expected, with first pitch moving from 6:40 p.m. to 7:20 p.m.
This marks the 16th rain delay of the season, but just the second in July, with their series opener vs. the Minnesota Twins at Target Field starting 20 minutes later than normal.
It is also the first rain delay at PNC Park since the series opener vs. the St. Louis Cardinals on June 30, which started at 7:50 p.m., 70 minutes later than originally scheduled.
The Pirates had nine rain delays in June, along with the Cardinals game, which saw many games start much later than normal.
The Pirates and Mets had two rain delays during their series at PNC Park. The series opener on June 27 had a rain delay that moved back the first pitch 20 minutes from 6:40 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and then the next game on June 28 had play stop in the top of the second inning at 4:32 p.m. and restarted a little after 6:00 p.m., an hour and a half delay.
There were also four rain delays in the nine-game homestand that started the month of June for the Pirates at PNC Park.
Their series finale vs. the Houston Astros on June 5 forced first pitch time back from 6:40 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., a season-long delay of three hours and 20 minutes. That game took almost two and a half hours, with the finish time at 12:26 a.m.
The Pirates had two rain delays in their series vs. the Philadelphia Phillies. The series opener on June 6 got moved back an hour and 20 minutes from 6:40 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and their series finale on June 8 started 10 minutes later at 1:45 p.m., from the original first pitch time of 1:35 p.m.
Pittsburgh had their series opener vs. the Miami Marlins on June 9 moved back 40 minutes from 6:40 p.m. to 7:20 p.m.
The only cancellation for the Pirates took place vs. the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on June 18.
This made it a double header on June 19, which had two rain delays. The first game started 40 minutes later at 1:50 p.m. and the second game stopped play during the bottom of the ninth inning for an hour and 15 minutes.
Pittsburgh also had five rain delays during the month of May, and there weren't any during March or April.
The Pirates' first two rain delays came in back-to-back games against the San Diego Padres at PNC Park on May 2 and May 3.
The first rain delay moved the start from 6:40 p.m. to 7:50 p.m., a 70 minute delay, and the second game got moved from 4:05 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., an hour and 40 minute delay.
Pittsburgh and Philadelphia also had a rain delay in their first series at Citizens Bank Park on May 16, with the game starting an hour and 45 minutes later from first pitch, going from 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The Pirates and Mets' series finale at Citi Field on May 14 started in a rain delay, moving back 15 minutes, 7:10 p.m. to 7:25 p.m.
Pittsburgh had their first in-game rain delay vs. the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park on May 22. This delay took almost two hours, the second longest of the season for the Pirates, who went on to lose 8-5.
Pittsburgh is 8-7 in rain delay games, losing 2-1 to the Twins and beating the Cardinals 7-0.
Pirates OnSI will provide updates if there is any change to the restart time or a cancellation.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.