Overture, curtain, lights, This is it, the Night of Nights - minor leagues are back

After a 595-day delay the minors open tonight.

May 4, 2021

By George Farelli

Canadian Baseball Network

Well, everyone should be well rested.

For the first time in 595 days there will be games in a played as minor league ball resumes Tuesday night.

The previous pitch in anger?

Sacramento River Cats blanked the Columbus Clippers 4-0 to sweep the best-of-seven national triple-A championship series on Sept. 17, 2019.

Reliever Steven Okert struck out Mark Mathias for the third and final out before 9,123 fans at AutoZone Park.

The 2020 season consisted of some minor leaguers working out at affiliated teams alternate sites.

Columbus won the International League playoff final, beating the Durham Bulls 6-2 to sweep the best-of-five series. The final game was played Sept. 12, 2019.

Sacramento won the Pacific Coast League title, defeating the Round Rock Express, sweeping the best-of-five series on Sept. 11, 2019

There are two games scheduled for a 6 o’clock starts: the New Hampshire Fisher Cats visit the Portland Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field in Portland, Maine and the Bowie Baysox meet the Altoona Curve at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

Next comes two more games at 6:05, another at 6:10, nine at 6:35, six at 7 o’clock, one at 7:04, 14 at 7:05, one at 7:15, six at 7:35, one at 7:38, another at 7:45, three at 8:05, one at 8:10, one at 9 o’clock, three at 9:30, one at 9:35 and the final two at 10:05 (all teams are Eastern time zone).

Who will be the first Canadian to throw a pitch? The first to get a hit?