Pirates vs. Rays Game Paused With Rain Delay

Pittsburgh's home game against Tampa Bay delayed by thunderstorms

Apr. 18, 2026 at 8:48pm

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A cubist-style painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and planes in the colors of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays uniforms, conceptually representing the rain-delayed baseball game between the two teams.A cubist interpretation of the rain-delayed matchup between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays, capturing the dynamic energy of the game through fragmented geometric shapes and bold colors.Today in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays game at PNC Park was paused due to a rain delay on April 18, 2026. The game was originally scheduled to start at 4:05 pm but was moved up to 3:30 pm to try and get in as much play as possible before the storms arrived. The Pirates had built a 4-0 lead behind home runs from Ryan O'Hearn and Marcell Ozuna before the delay started at 4:40 pm. The rain is expected to continue through 7:30 pm, so it's unclear when the game will be able to resume.

Why it matters

Rain delays are a common occurrence in baseball, but this one comes at an important time for the Pirates, who were off to a strong start to the season and had built a comfortable lead before the storms rolled in. The delay could disrupt the team's momentum and impact the outcome of the game.

The details

Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes had thrown four scoreless innings, allowing just a few hits and recording five strikeouts, before the rain delay began. The Pirates offense had provided him with a 4-0 lead, thanks to two-run home runs from O'Hearn in the 1st inning and Ozuna in the 4th. The rain is expected to continue through 7:30 pm, so it's unclear when the game will be able to resume.

  • The game was originally scheduled to start at 4:05 pm but was moved up to 3:30 pm.
  • The rain delay began at 4:40 pm.

The players

Paul Skenes

The Pirates' starting pitcher, who had thrown four scoreless innings before the rain delay.

Ryan O'Hearn

The Pirates' right fielder, who hit a two-run home run in the 1st inning to give the team an early lead.

Marcell Ozuna

The Pirates' designated hitter, who hit a two-run home run in the 4th inning to extend the team's lead to 4-0 before the rain delay.

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What they’re saying

“We'll have to wait and see when we can get this game restarted. The weather looks like it's going to be a challenge, but we're ready to get back out there and finish what we started.”

— Derek Shelton, Pirates Manager

What’s next

Pirates OnSI will provide updates if there is any change to the restart time or a cancellation.

The takeaway

This rain delay comes at an inopportune time for the Pirates, who had built a comfortable lead and were cruising behind a strong outing from their starting pitcher. The delay could disrupt their momentum, but the team will be ready to resume play as soon as the weather clears up.