The Pittsburgh Pirates’ home opener against the Baltimore Orioles saw a bit of inclement weather on Friday afternoon – and we’re not talking rain.
An all-out snowstorm broke out on the Allegheny River, as PNC Park looked like a winter wonderland in the middle of spring.
The scene was wild to see, as baseball is obviously not supposed to be played in snowy conditions. The broadcast looked like a fuzzy television screen, as the snow was piling on the field with Orioles starter Grayson Rodriguez pitching on the mound to Pirates left-handed hitter Rowdy Tellez.
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Ryan Mountcastle, #6 of the Baltimore Orioles, looks on while sleet falls during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Tellez hit a ground ball to first base, where the Orioles’ Ryan Mountcastle battled the elements, picked the ball off the snow-filled dirt and flipped it to Rodriguez for the out. And when the camera zoomed in on him, he was smiling, likely out of bewilderment at what he was playing through.
For “Steel City” natives, snow is nothing new, especially during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season. However, the NFL plays in the fall and winter months, while baseball is supposed to bring nicer weather throughout the country.
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But it’s been cold in northern areas to start the MLB season, and playing right on the Allegheny River is going to bring some cold temperatures at first pitch. Still, no one expects to see snow in the forecast when players take the field.
The Pirates have not played through snow since 2018, but some players like Chicago native Jack Suwinksi might be “used to this,” as the SportsNet Pittsburgh play-by-play commentator Greg Brown said on air.
However, Rodriguez barely saw snow growing up in Texas.
Jack Suwinski, #65 of the Pittsburgh Pirates, looks on from the dugout in the second inning during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on April 5, 2024, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Justin Berl/Getty Images)
“I don’t see snow too often, but it was a lot of fun to experience that,” he said, via the Associated Press.
Pittsburgh couldn’t reward the crowd for enduring the climate, as the Orioles came through with the 5-2 win to move their record to 5-2 on the season. The Pirates have had one of the more surprising starts to the season, as the loss brough them to 6-2.
Orioles young star shortshop Gunnar Henderson belted a solo home run, going 2-for-5 on the day, while Ryan O’Hearn and Cedric Mullins hit solo shots themselves.
Grayson Rodriguez, #30 of the Baltimore Orioles, pitches in the rain during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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O’Neil Cruz also hit the Pirates’ first long ball at home this season in the loss.
As this weekend series continues, there is no snow in the forecast, but the Pirates and Orioles will be prepared for anything after playing through a storm.
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