Lights Out: Dodgers-Rangers game delayed after section of lights go out

Dodgers-Rangers game delayed when lights go out

ARLINGTON, Texas — A light failure at Rangers Ballpark caused Saturday night’s game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Texas to be delayed for one hour, 41 minutes.

Play was suspended after the fifth inning because one of the stadium’s eight light standards was dark.

At the end of the fourth, with the shadows becoming more prominent on the field, umpire chief Charlie Reliford met with managers Joe Torre and Ron Washington. Both teams batted in the fifth before the scoreless game was stopped.

During the delay, starting pitchers Randy Wolf of the Dodgers and Rangers right-hander Scott Feldman both went into the outfield and tried to stay loose by tossing some pitches. Feldman played catch twice with pitching coach Mike Maddux.

But when play resumed, Eddie Guardado took over on the mound for Texas. Cory Wade was warming up in the Dodgers bullpen.

After play was stopped at 8:17 p.m., fans chanted “Let’s Play Ball!” several times. When the lights finally started flickering on at 9:41 p.m., the fans started cheering and they got louder when Michael Young and Ian Kinsler sprinted out of the Rangers dugout to the outfield to warm up.

Power company officials had to turn off a transformer at the stadium before a breaker could be replaced to turn the lights off. The affected light standard, which was out before the start of the game, was the one closest to home plate on the first-base side.

Rangers officials said it was the first such delay at Rangers Ballpark, which opened in 1994.