MINNEAPOLIS — For nearly as long as Jake Nyberg has been alive, there had never been a rainout in Minnesota.
The 30-year-old St. Paul resident, along with an entire generation of Twins fans, grew up watching his team play under the dingy roof of the Metrodome, which protected the players and fans from the elements for 28 seasons.
The Twins moved outdoors to brand new Target Field this year, and their first rainout since 1980 came on Friday when steady rain caused the postponement of their game against the Baltimore Orioles.
"I've seen people tweeting 'I guess you miss that Dome now, huh?'" said Nyberg, who had tickets for the game. "No."
The game will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on Saturday, with fans who had tickets for Friday's game able to redeem them for the nightcap.
The last time a Twins home game was rained out was Sept. 20, 1980, at the old Metropolitan Stadium. The Twins moved indoors in 1982 and, aside from a game in April 1983 that was postponed when snow caused the roof to collapse, Twins fans have grown accustomed to not having to check the weather before heading to the ballgame.
That was the case as well for the first 13 games at Target Field, which opened to rave reviews and unseasonably warm and sunny weather during the first homestand in April. Cooler weather and rain started to creep into the picture this week, including in Baltimore's 2-0 win in the series opener on Thursday night.
The rain kept coming all day on Friday, and with more showers in the forecast and possibly even some snow, the team announced the postponement about six hours before game time.
"We knew we were going to have some of these challenges," general manager Bill Smith said. "We've had a tremendous run of good weather and good games and great outdoor baseball. We'll get through this one."
Francisco Liriano, who was scheduled to pitch for Minnesota on Friday night, will start the opener of the doubleheader, with Scott Baker pushed back to the night start.
Kevin Millwood and Jeremy Guthrie will pitch for the Orioles, but the team did not announce in which order."McCOURT ORDERED TO PAY WIFE: A Los Angeles judge on Friday ordered Dodgers owner Frank McCourt to pay his estranged wife $225,000 a month in temporary spousal support in a bitter divorce case where she had asked for nearly $1 million a month.
Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon said in a 55-page ruling that Jamie McCourt would receive $225,000 a month in spousal support and Frank McCourt will pay $412,159 a month for the couple's six homes and a condominium.
In court arguments in March, Jamie McCourt had been seeking $988,845 a month; her husband had offered her $150,000. Gordon said in his ruling that "neither of the parties' positions is supported by the evidence."
Jamie McCourt's attorney, Dennis Wasser, called the ruling "well-reasoned" and "fair" and said his client is satisfied.