When it comes to the Rockies, chaos is never too far away. While the fans are accustomed to their struggles this season, now even Mother Nature seems to be throwing curveballs. In the second game of the series against the Dodgers, the skies opened up and rain halted play, right after the Rockies handed over a two-run single, courtesy of a head-scratching defensive blunder.

The Rockies have made plenty of defensive blunders this season, but on this occasion, it was a bit of a misfortune. But who’s to blame? Well, maybe the rain. The umpires are getting called out now.

The Dodgers and the Rockies were grinding at the top of the sixth inning when it started pouring. While the fans expected the play to be called off, the umpires continued. Under the heavy shower, Max Muncy lofted a pop-up that should’ve been routine, but with the rain coming down hard, Thairo Estrada completely lost it in the downpour.

The now-viral footage shows how Estrada was struggling to track the ball high above due to the downpour and eventually lost it. That slip-up let two runs cross the plate, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. However, moments later, the grounds crew rushed in with the tarp, and just like that, the game was paused.

Until that misplay, the Rockies were putting up a solid fight. Starter Chase Dollander was looking dominant on the mound, and they were able to keep the Dodgers quiet through five. But then the heavens opened up.

Since the start of this season, the Rockies have been on the receiving end of negative fan reactions, owing to their performance. Countless instances of fielding mishaps, bullpen implosions, and offense going dry have been called out by the fans. However, this time, it’s different. The fans are calling out the umpires for not stopping the game under the heavy shower.

Let’s dive in and have a look at how the fans are reacting to the mishap and who they are mainly blaming.

Fans are rallying behind the Rockies this time

“Why are they playing in the pouring rain in the first place?” asked a fan. Well, the umpires might have thought the downpour was not bad enough to stop the play. It’s totally up to the umpire’s discretion when to stop the play. For the unversed, a drizzle is not enough to call off the play. The downpour should be heavy enough. While the fans thought it was heavy enough, the umpires wanted to wait a bit longer.

“To be fair, it’s pouring rain, and a delay should have been called,” wrote another fan. The MLB permits the home team to call the shots on the field conditions. But once the game gets going, it’s the umpires who have the final say. The umpires will decide if the downpour requires a game suspension or not.

“Totally not his fault, dude,” read one more comment. Absolutely! Thairo Estrada was struggling to see the ball as the raindrops came down on his face, and if the footage is anything to go by, the shower was heavy enough for the distraction. Clearly, the Dodgers got the advantage of that. What if the Rockies were batting at that time?

“That’s the umpire’s fault,” another fan echoed the same sentiments. But hey, should we call it the umpire’s fault? Remember the 2008 World Series game 5? Despite the pouring rain, the game continued until the sixth inning, when the umpires finally suspended play with the score tied 2-2. Both teams were struggling with the rain, and MLB got the flak for not calling it off earlier. However, since the game was eventually suspended with both teams equalised on the scoreboard, it didn’t turn into a major controversy. However, this time it is different.

“Umps are to blame. Obviously should have called it 2 pitches earlier. Tried to finish the at bat and it cost them,” one more netizen chimed in. Now, this might be a good reason. The umpires might be trying to complete the at-bat before calling off the play. Well, the game could have been stopped in the middle of an at-bat as well, but the umpires might have thought the conditions were good enough to complete the inning, and so, they did. However, it ended up costing the Rockies heavily.