Mother Nature played role in Yankees’ Opening Day victory

The weatherman was right. Rain was in the forecast for the Washington, D.C., area Thursday night, and eventually the sky opened big-time.

The evening showers did stay away long enough for the Yankees to start this coronavirus-shortened season with a rain-shortened victory, as they were rewarded with a 4-1 victory over the Washington Nationals in a game that was called after in the sixth inning.

The game stopped at 8:52 p.m., with the Yankees batting in the sixth inning, and it finally was called after the clubs sat through a 1-hour, 58-minute rain delay.

Killing time during the long rain delay was different from ones in years past for the Yankees due to social distancing being practiced in the clubhouse.

“In all the rules, we can’t really have any tables or couches or stuff like, so that was a little different and a little tougher for some guys,” right fielder Aaron Judge said. “But we all just spread out and kind of hung out and thankfully they turned on the Dodgers and Giants game. So we all kind of sat around and talked about that and watched some great hitters and pitchers do the thing there. It was a rain delay usual kind of thing, but just tables and no places to hang out.”

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.

Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.