Garrett Crochet oddly ejected during strange ninth-inning rain delay

Garrett Crochet oddly ejected during strange ninth-inning rain delay originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

White Sox reliever John Brebbia pitched the top of the ninth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field in pouring rain, recording all three outs while walking one batter from 12 total pitches in the frame.

That’s when a little Tuesday night chaos ensued.

Officials placed the game under rain delay while awaiting heavy rain to pass through the South Side. Their decision came just before the bottom of the ninth inning with three outs to go in the game. It would mark the second rain delay of the evening, as the game was delayed 40 minutes at the start due to rain.

The ninth-inning rain delay lasted over an hour, as the delay started around 10:07 p.m. and resumed again at 11:15 p.m. The game did not resume, however, before umpires ejected starter Garrett Crochet, who was seemingly chirping at the umpires about the delay.

“I don’t know what happened. Something to do with the weather or something. I’m not sure,” manager Pedro Grifol said after the game.

The ejection provided zero disadvantage to the White Sox, as Crochet didn’t start nor relieve any pitchers on Tuesday. In fact, the bottom of the ninth inning — upon resumption — lasted less than three minutes.

The ejection marked the first of Crochet’s career; a memorable one, at that.

This isn’t the first oddly placed rain delay the White Sox have encountered this season. On May 4, ironically, with Brebbia pitching, officials in St. Louis delayed the game with one out to play in the bottom of the 10th inning.

That game, different from Tuesday night’s, saw a rain delay that lasted over three hours at Busch Stadium. The White Sox won that game, 6-5, upon Tanner Banks striking out the final Cardinals batter on five pitches post-rain delay.

Why neither of those games were suspended and resumed the next day? I don’t know.

The White Sox return to Guaranteed Rate Field Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. to finish their series against the Blue Jays. Tune in for coverage on NBC Sports Chicago starting at 6 p.m.

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