Game 3 of ALCS postponed due to weather

There will be no ALCS playoff game tonight at rain-soaked Fenway Park.

ADVERTISEMENT

Game 3 of the American League Championship Series will now become a Monday (if necessary) Game 5 with a starting time of 5:10 p.m.

The Red Sox and the Yankees are already scheduled to play at Fenway Park on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 7:30 p.m.

Should the Yankees win both Saturday and Sunday nights there would no game on Monday because the best 4 out of 7 series would be over.

Games 6 and 7 - if needed - are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday at Yankee Stadium in New York City.

Throughout most of the day it did not look good weather-wise for Game 3 to be played as originally scheduled.

The National Weather Service was predicting between the hours of 9 p.m. and midnight Boston could get heavy rains and even thundershowers.

And these heavy rains would come in the wake of the day-long offering of drizzle, showers and fog.

It was weather, however, that did not dampen the spirits of dozens of people outside Fenway Park huddled in the rain and even under tents hoping to get a last minute ticket.

At mid-afternoon every weather forecaster in Greater Boston was expressing serious doubts as to whether or not the rains would hold off long enough to permit the playing of a full game.

However, it was not until about 8:10 p.m. that Major League Baseball announced the decision to call it off.

Major League Baseball officials, not the teams, decide whether to postpone playoff games.

Tickets for tonight's game were marked either ''Home Game #1'' or ''Friday, October 15.'' Those are the tickets that would be honored if a Game 5 is needed at Fenway Park.

Fans with tickets for tomorrow (marked either "Home Game #2" or "Saturday, October 16") or Sunday (marked "Home Game #3" or "Sunday, October 17") should use those tickets as scheduled.

"As we did last year, we want to minimize the inconvenience," said Mike Dee, the team's chief operating officer. "Asking one full house to switch to another day is better than asking three full houses to all switch to different days."

The back of the ticket has refund instructions for any potential games that are not played.

The Sox said postseason rules, developed in conjunction with MLB, do not permit reprints or courtesy admissions for lost or misplaced tickets, or if fans bring the wrong tickets. Tickets cannot be exchanged, and there are no refunds for games that are played.

And Red Sox fans, even with their team down two games to none at this point in the playoffs, are hoping that not only will a Game 5 be needed but that they can go back to New York leading the series three games to two with two games left to play.

Looking ahead weather-wise, the NWS at Taunton says the forecast calls for clear and cool weather Saturday and Sunday nights, BUT there is a possibility of more rain on Monday.

Temperatures Saturday are seen ranging from the lower 60's during the day down into the 40's at night.

(Boston Globe reporter Bob Hohler contributed to this report)