Hail storm sends Padres and Rockies running for cover

Much like Colorado Rockies baseball, you never know what to expect from the weather in Denver. That’s especially true in September, when conditions can change at a moment’s notice and shift from one extreme to the other in a matter of hours.

[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Baseball contest now]

Look no further than Friday’s Padres-Rockies game for evidence. The weather map indicated conditions were going to get wet around the ninth inning. However, when the skies finally opened up, it wasn’t a harmless rain shower that soaked the field. It was a hard-hitting hail storm accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Rockies shortstop Cristhian Adames uses his glove to shield his head during a hailstorm at Coors Field. (AP)
Rockies shortstop Cristhian Adames uses his glove to shield his head during a hailstorm at Coors Field. (AP)

While players and coaches for both teams ran for cover, the grounds crew ventured into the storm to apply the tarp.

The Coors Field grounds crew springs into action during Friday's hailstorm. (AP)
The Coors Field grounds crew springs into action during Friday’s hailstorm. (AP)

In the realm of thankless occupations, grounds crew member has to rank pretty high. No one would know that better than Padres pitcher Jake Smith, who once served as the groundskeeper for the Augusta GreenJackets, the Giants’ Class A affiliate, before he was given a tryout and then drafted by San Francisco in the 48th round in 2011. He picked up his first MLB win against the Giants earlier this week.

His services were not needed here, but the chaos created by Mother Nature was still pretty crazy.

Once the hail stopped, baseball resumed. The Rockies provided all of the thunder at that point, scoring three runs in the ninth inning to pull off an 8-7 win.

#RallyHail probably won’t catch on, but the Rockies will take a win any way they can get one.

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:

– – – – – – –

Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!