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A droplet of water.
That’s what caused the lights to malfunction at Covenant Health Park in the third inning of the Knoxville Smokies’ game on June 18, part of a playoff-deciding homestand. The culprit: condensation dripping from the AC vent above the monitor that operates the lights from the control room.
With Cam Collier at the plate for the Lookouts in a scoreless game, Smokies pitcher Dawson Netz fired an 0-1 pitch. As he released the ball, the lights began flickering as if Knoxville hit a home run.
But it was not that.
It was just the effect of humidity in a game that was delayed by rain before first pitch.
The lights flickered for less than a minute before umpires congregated to decide how to rule the pitch. After home plate umpire Derek Gibson met with his crew near the pitcher's mound, the pitch was ruled a dead ball in accordance with official baseball rule Rule 5.12(b)(1).Any play can be ruled a dead ball if "light failure makes it difficult or impossible for the umpires to follow the play," the rule states.
To prevent the situation from happening again, a dry towel was draped over top the monitor. Netz proceeded to strike out Collier on three pitches - four with the dead ball - to end the inning.
Chattanooga broke a scoreless game the following inning with a solo home run from former Smokies player Pablo Aliendo, before Knoxville answered with three solo home runs in the bottom half from Jefferson Rojas, Owen Ayers and Andy Garriola to take the lead.
Each time, the lights flashed intentionally to celebrate the Smokies' blasts.
Trevor McGee covers the Knoxville Smokies and One Knox SC for Knox News. Email: [email protected]; X: @TrevorMcGee12
Support strong local journalism and unblock premium perks by subscribing at subscribe.knoxnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Lights go out at Knoxville Smokies stadium in playoff-deciding game
Continue reading...
That’s what caused the lights to malfunction at Covenant Health Park in the third inning of the Knoxville Smokies’ game on June 18, part of a playoff-deciding homestand. The culprit: condensation dripping from the AC vent above the monitor that operates the lights from the control room.
With Cam Collier at the plate for the Lookouts in a scoreless game, Smokies pitcher Dawson Netz fired an 0-1 pitch. As he released the ball, the lights began flickering as if Knoxville hit a home run.
But it was not that.
It was just the effect of humidity in a game that was delayed by rain before first pitch.
The lights flickered for less than a minute before umpires congregated to decide how to rule the pitch. After home plate umpire Derek Gibson met with his crew near the pitcher's mound, the pitch was ruled a dead ball in accordance with official baseball rule Rule 5.12(b)(1).Any play can be ruled a dead ball if "light failure makes it difficult or impossible for the umpires to follow the play," the rule states.
To prevent the situation from happening again, a dry towel was draped over top the monitor. Netz proceeded to strike out Collier on three pitches - four with the dead ball - to end the inning.
Chattanooga broke a scoreless game the following inning with a solo home run from former Smokies player Pablo Aliendo, before Knoxville answered with three solo home runs in the bottom half from Jefferson Rojas, Owen Ayers and Andy Garriola to take the lead.
Each time, the lights flashed intentionally to celebrate the Smokies' blasts.
Trevor McGee covers the Knoxville Smokies and One Knox SC for Knox News. Email: [email protected]; X: @TrevorMcGee12
Support strong local journalism and unblock premium perks by subscribing at subscribe.knoxnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Lights go out at Knoxville Smokies stadium in playoff-deciding game
Continue reading...
