Game 5 of the World Series Tied At 2; Suspended By Rain Until Tuesday

With the Phillies and Rays tied at two after 5 1/2 innings in Game 5 of the World Series, the decision was made to suspend the game until tomorrow night due to pouring rain and near-freezing temperatures. In reality, baseball rules forced the decision to come an inning too late, but a late decision is better than deciding the World Series in a driving rainstorm on a field made of mud.

Playoff baseball games are played under the same rules as regular season games, which means all games after five innings are considered complete (to the last full inning) if they have to end before the ninth inning (UPDATE: In his post-game presser, Bud Selig claimed he was going to suspend the game until tomorrow regardless of the score). The only exception is a tie game, which is allowed to be suspended at any point and resumed at a later date. This forced the game to press on an inning and a half too long, as the Phillies held a 2-1 lead after the top of the sixth and delaying the game at that point would mean it would be possible for them to clinch the World Series in the clubhouse after five innings. Everyone caught a break when Carlos Pena signled B.J. Upton home from second base, tying the game at two and giving baseball the chance to suspend the game should they be unable to resume tonight.

The fifth and top of the sixth innings were an absolute embarrassment for baseball tonight. Between the cold weather and driving rain, the pitchers and fielders were obviously strugging to play any sport that actually resembled baseball. Upton reached first on a weather-aided single, then scored on Pena's hit with a slide on base paths so muddy they might as well have been a slip 'n slide. I don't really understand why there isn't a rule that all post-season games must consist of nine innings and they're otherwise suspended until they can be completed, no matter what the score is, but I'm not Bud Selig. That's a good thing.