The St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves were locked in a 0-0 tie after three innings when Mother Nature decided to throw a curveball. Around 8 p.m. CT, a massive thunderstorm rolled through St. Louis, bringing lightning and pouring rain that forced the game to be suspended. What followed was a nearly three-hour delay that threatened to cancel the whole dang thing.
The Storm That Tried to Drown a Ballgame
This wasn't just a sprinkle, folks. We're talking about an absolute deluge. For two hours and 43 minutes, the skies just opened up over Busch Stadium. Even after the rain stopped around 9 p.m. CT, the damage was clear. AppleTV sideline reporter Tricia Whitaker showed water literally flooding into the Cardinals' dugout, and Braves radio's Ben Ingram captured the pure chaos of water absolutely everywhere in the stadium. The field surface? Totally unplayable. It looked like the game was sunk.The Unsung Heroes Who Made It Happen
But then, the Busch Stadium grounds crew stepped up in a way that deserves serious applause. As soon as that rain let up, they were out there. They rolled back the tarp, then went to work with broom-like devices to sweep off the standing water. They even had other gadgets to try and dry out the grass. In about an hour, after what felt like an impossible task, multiple reports confirmed the field was shockingly playable. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol and Braves manager Walt Weiss walked the field themselves, gave it the green light, and just like that, the teams were warming back up. Talk about a comeback! During the epic wait, Cardinals pitcher Michael McGreevy said players tried to keep busy with cards and fantasy football talk, though he admitted some guys were "about to go to sleep" given how late it got. The game resumed at 10:45 p.m. CT, all thanks to that incredible grounds crew. What a testament to dedication, making sure the fans got to see their teams play. You gotta love to see that kind of effort.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.