There’s rain, there’s a downpour, and then there’s the type of rain and downpour that sent the Yankees and Mets into a delay Wednesday night at Citi Field.
With one out in the fifth, one pitch into Tyrone Taylor’s at-bat, a downpour and thunderstorm began that prompted umpires to immediately pause the game — with the Mets leading Game 2 of the Subway Series, 4-0 — and allow the tarp to get pulled onto the field.
They didn’t even attempt to play through the storm once it started.
During the worst of the rainstorm, it was difficult to see the massive scoreboard in centerfield, as well as the area in front of it, from the stands behind home plate.
Fans sprinted under the stands for cover, and security eventually went down the left-field line to make sure two fans, still standing at the edge of the wall, weren’t thinking about diving toward the dirt.
The area of the outfield patrolled by Alex Verdugo and Brandon Nimmo became a glorified lake.
The SNY broadcast also captured a lightning strike behind the Manhattan skyline, too.
While the rain slowed after 15 or 20 minutes, the grounds crew didnt start taking the tarp off until 9:29 p.m. — a few minutes after allowing fans to return to their seats.
The puddle in left field had mostly cleared on the grass, but the other areas of dirt exposed to the precipitation were still soaked.
The Mets built their lead behind Francisco Alvarez’s three RBIs — on a two-run homer and an RBI double — and Sean Manaea’s five scoreless innings, when he silenced the Yankees’ offense and allowed just two hits.