Snow Delays Prep for Dodgers-Rockies Opener at Coors Field

DENVER - A surprise snowfall blanketed Coors Field with three inches of accumulation, delaying preparations for the Los Angeles Dodgers' series opener against the Colorado Rockies on Friday, but the game proceeded under sunny skies after groundskeepers cleared the field.

The unusual mid-April weather greeted both teams as they arrived for the four-game set at the high-altitude ballpark, where temperatures had reached 75 degrees the previous day. Dodgers pitcher Emmett Sheehan embraced the chill by building a snowman on the field about four hours before the scheduled first pitch, dressed in shorts despite the frigid conditions. The snow ceased falling roughly three hours prior to game time, allowing Colorado's grounds crew to remove a protective tarp from the infield and use a plow to clear the outfield grass. By the time play began, the temperature had climbed to 36 degrees, with only traces of snow lingering on the pine trees beyond the center-field wall.

The rapid shift from winter-like conditions to baseball weather highlighted the unpredictable climate at Coors Field, known for its thin air and variable spring forecasts. Players and staff shoveled away the remaining flakes,...