CLEVELAND — Facing elimination, the Cleveland Indians will have to wait a little longer to save their season.
With less than 40 minutes to go until first pitch in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series between the Indians and New York Yankees, it was announced that first pitch would be delayed due to incoming rain. The game will now start at 7:50 p.m. ET.
Following a 12-3 win in Game 1 on Tuesday night, the Yankees entered Wednesday night with a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. As a result, Cleveland finds itself facing elimination and looking to break a 0-9 drought in elimination games that dates back to Game 7 of the 1997 World Series.
Should the Indians do just that, they would force a winner-take-all Game 3 at Progressive Field on Thursday night. The Wild Card series comes as a part of MLB's expanded postseason, which included eight teams in both leagues squaring off in a best-of-three series played at the higher seed's home ballpark.
Winners in the Wild Card Series will then advance to the following MLB neutral site "bubble" locations, where they will take part in a traditional postseason format beginning with next week's Division Series:
- America League Division Series: San Diego, California, and Los Angeles, California
- National League Division Series: Arlington, Texas and Houston, Texas
- American League Championship Series: San Diego, California
- National League Championship Series: Arlington, Texas
- World Series: Arlington, Texas