PITTSBURGH — A recreation between the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres was delayed 45 minutes Thursday on account of poor air circumstances brought on by lingering smoke from wildfires in Canada.

Moments earlier than the scheduled begin time at 12:35 p.m., the sport was pushed to a 1:20 p.m. begin. During the delay, the Pirates issued an announcement stating they'd proceed to contemplate climate circumstances and air high quality index.

The recreation started with the lights turned on at hazy PNC Park, and Pirates star Andrew McCutchen placed on a face masks to run the bases after hitting a single within the first inning. Several thousand followers, together with many kids, had been in attendance for the afternoon recreation.

“After collaborative discussions between Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association, our team of expert medical providers at Allegheny Health Network, our players and staff, we have made the decision to move forward with our game today,” the Pirates’ assertion learn. “We will continue to closely monitor the air quality index levels around the ballpark and respond accordingly.”

Air high quality was additionally a priority earlier than a 7-1 win for the Pirates on Wednesday. Thursday’s recreation was the finale of a three-game sequence.

On Wednesday, Padres supervisor Bob Melvin stated he was instructed Major League Baseball would think about suspending a recreation if the air high quality index reached a minimum of 200. The index was at 189 when the delay was introduced Thursday.

Poor air high quality from Canadian wildfires additionally led to postponements of video games in New York and Philadelphia this month.

“I don’t really know why we are playing. It seems like everyone is kind of uneducated on this subject, which is too bad,” Pittsburgh catcher Austin Hedges stated Thursday morning, earlier than the delay was introduced. “It’s clear as day when you look at your phone and you check the numbers. Like, it’s told you don’t go outside. They’re not telling you don’t go outside and they’re not saying that for no reason. We’re not any different than any other humans.”

Pirates supervisor Derek Shelton stated he can be aware of gamers with allergy symptoms or bronchial asthma.

“Just make sure that you’re very vocal with us in terms of how you’re feeling or what you’re doing,” Pittsburgh supervisor Derek Shelton stated earlier than the sport Wednesday. “We definitely don’t want to put anybody in any sort of harm’s way. … I think everybody has the concern and the health of, not only the players, but the people attending the game at the forefront of their mind.”

Melvin had an identical expertise as supervisor of the Oakland Athletics on Sept. 14, 2020, when a doubleheader in Seattle was performed with poor air high quality.

“I’ve been through this before. Two hundred is kind of the level that they look at to potentially have meetings about,” Melvin stated. “Seattle, we played in that game when it was at 240 or whatever it was. … We were the guinea pig for that one.”

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