San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Bigleague ballparks broiling as heat wave grips much of nation
A heat wave that has gripped much of the country has affected many major league ballparks, where players and fans are trying to keep cool. Temperatures are soaring to near triple digits this weekend, making it tough to play baseball and to watch it, too. The sweltering conditions are expected to continue through the weekend in some spots.
At Wrigley Field, misters behind the bleachers tried to cool the crowd. At Yankee Stadium, one player took batting practice on the field. In Cleveland, rules were relaxed on what fans could bring into the park.
Even for a sport that promotes high heat, Saturday was a scorcher across the major leagues. The National Weather Service said it was part of “a dangerous heat wave” gripping much of the country.
From the Northeast through the Midwest, no player, manager or umpire was spared as temperatures neared triple digits.
Hours before Baltimore played Boston at sweltering Camden Yards, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde pulled aside starting catcher Chance Sisco and issued a stiff directive.
“I told Chance, ‘Do not go outside until the game starts,’ ” Hyde said.
Sisco went all nine innings Friday night and was in the lineup again while backup Pedro Severino recovers from an illness.
“I told Chance, I don’t want him hustling on and off the field. I want to see him walking,” Hyde said. “When you’re a catcher in these type of games, it’s not easy. After the eighth inning, his face was beet red.”
No relief in sight, either. The temperature was forecast to top 100 degrees for Sunday afternoon’s series finale.
In Chicago, where it was 94 when the Cubs started against San Diego, there was a big ovation in the seventh inning — for the weather.
That’s when the wind suddenly shifted and began blowing in. The temperature immediately dropped and many in the crowd of 40,314 cheered the wind in the Windy City.
For those sitting in the stands with no cover, it was hard to take.
Jaclyn Jendrisak, 31, was in town from St. Louis for a bachelor/bachelorette party. Fortunately for her, the Cubs created a cooling station in right field.
“Standing in the shade, have some air conditioning blowing on us. We’re sticking to water and not having beer. It’s helping a little bit,” she said.
It also was 94 degrees in New York, the hottest for a Yankees game this season.
The Yankees set up supplemental hydration stadiums in all three decks and the bleachers, and made announcements reminding fans to keep drinking water.
All over, portable bench coolers helped teams in hot spots, while umpires ducked off the field between innings to stay fresh.
The weather began to break in some spots Saturday.
A day after it was 94 when Minnesota hosted Oakland — the secondhottest start in Target Field’s 10year history — it was about 20 degrees cooler in the Twin Cities.
On Friday night, AllStar pitcher Jake Odorizzi struggled with the A’s lineup and the humid setting.
“It was only like pitching in a rain forest,” he said.