By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers postponed their game Wednesday night against Arizona due to unplayable field conditions caused by a severe thunderstorm just more than an hour before the game was scheduled to start.
During the storm that included lightning, gusty winds and heavy rains, the infield was soaked while the grounds crew struggled to get the tarp on the field.
Though the rain stopped and the grounds crew had been working on the field, Rangers officials announced the postponement just about an hour after the scheduled start.
That decision was made after Rangers manager Ron Washington and Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson gathered with other officials, including Rangers CEO Nolan Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels, to survey the field.
Washington said afterward that the home plate area was too soft. So were the paths between the plate and first base, and third base and home.
Arizona and Texas will play a single game as scheduled Thursday, in what was the Diamondbacks' last scheduled trip to Rangers Ballpark. Wednesday's game will be made up at a later date, likely Aug. 15, a scheduled off day for both teams.
Both scheduled starting right-handers for the postponed game are set to start Thursday. Brandon McCarthy (2-3) will pitch for the Diamondbacks against Justin Grimm (4-3).
Rangers spokesman John Blake said there were no injuries reported during the storms, but that about 25 trees outside the stadium sustained damage or were toppled by the bad weather.
The Diamondbacks swept a doubleheader against Texas on Monday in Arizona, then the teams had Tuesday off before the scheduled two games at Rangers Ballpark.
During Arizona's batting practice before the game, an announcement was made that the area was under a severe thunderstorm warning. Fans were asked to leave the upper deck and all fans were told to seek shelter.
When the Diamondbacks left the field a few minutes later, some field crew members rolled the batting cage out of the way while others starting pulling the tarp.
While the crew tried to get the tarp in position, gusty winds caused the heavy covering to start flapping wildly and it wound up bunched together toward second base and in shallow center field. Heavy rain fell during the several minutes it took to get the tarp under control and cover the infield, with the grounds crew joined by security and other ballpark personnel.
