Rain has impacted, even altered, past postseasons
Postponement triggers Red Sox's comeback vs. Yanks in 2004 ALCS
Now that rain has forced them to control their excitement for at least 24 hours, the Royals can only hope that the magic that has carried them through the past two weeks is still present when the American League Championship Series resumes.
Having already won the first two games of this best-of-seven series, the Royals were looking forward to playing in front of their home fans at Kauffman Stadium on Monday night. But nearly four hours before the scheduled first pitch, rain forced the postponement of Game 3 of the ALCS until Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET (watch on TBS).
This marked the 17th time a postseason game has been postponed during the Wild Card era, dating back to 1995, and the first such instance since Game 4 of the 2012 ALCS. At that time, the Tigers had to wait one additional day before completing a four-game sweep of the Yankees.
One of the most noteworthy postseason rainouts occurred 10 years ago, also affecting Game 3 of the ALCS. In 2004, Game 3 of the historic Yankees-Red Sox battle was postponed. After remaining idle the previous two days, the Yankees showed no rust as they won Game 3, 19-8. But the additional off-day gave the Red Sox a chance to reshuffle their rotation, allowing Curt Schilling a chance to further rest his ailing right ankle.
Down 3-0 in the best-of-seven series, the Red Sox rolled the dice and won with Derek Lowe remaining in line to start Game 4. They then brought Game 2 starter Pedro Martinez back for Game 5 and won, with Schilling waiting until Game 6. After Schilling proved victorious wearing the famous bloody sock, the Red Sox completed their improbable comeback with Lowe serving as the starter in Game 7.
One year earlier, the Yankees and Red Sox had opted to take advantage of an additional off-day created by rain.
When Game 4 of the 2003 ALCS was postponed by rain, the Red Sox and Yankees both opted to bring their Game 1 starters back on regular rest when play resumed the next day. Tim Wakefield outdueled Mike Mussina to even the series for Boston, but the Yankees ended up taking the series with Aaron Boone's epic 11th-inning homer off Wakefield, who entered as a reliever in Game 7.
After Game 4 of the 2005 AL Division Series was postponed at Yankee Stadium, the Angels opted to bring Game 2 starter John Lackey back on short rest because Game 4's scheduled starter Jarrod Washburn was scratched with a throat infection. Lackey delivered five scoreless innings before allowing a run in the sixth, and he then saw his effort wasted by the bullpen. But the following day, with the series having shifted to Anaheim, the Angels closed out the series with a Game 5 victory.
On the way to winning it all in 2006, the Cardinals had three postseason games postponed by rain. When Game 4 of the World Series was postponed, they sent Game 2 starter Jeff Weaver to the mound for Game 5 and saw him allow two runs over eight innings of the clinching victory.