Cleanup at Chavez Ravine, stat.
Tuesday's spring finale between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels came to a premature - and messy - end after a pipe burst at Dodger Stadium, causing raw sewage to leak all over the field during the fifth inning, according to Jill Painter Lopez of The Associated Press.
The on-field portion of the leak happened right in front of the Dodgers' third-base dugout. Some players told Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times that it even spilled into parts of the home clubhouse, including the coaches' offices, though manager Dave Roberts refused to confirm that rumor.
“I thought it was Gatorade or something coming from the stands," Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles, who was on base when the pipe burst, told Painter Lopez. "I don't know. They said it was the sewer. I smelled it. It was nasty, man.
"I'm not going to tell you what it really was. That's messed up. It's nasty."
Sometimes it's best NOT to be in the front row. Last night at Dodger Stadium, a ruptured pipe creates a lake of raw sewage behind 3rd base. They brought out the squeegees, but it kept bubbling up and they finally had to call the game. #Dodgerbrown pic.twitter.com/gXEGS4c4O5
— Mike Rogers (@KRLDMikeRogers) March 28, 2018
Dodgers president Stan Kasten said the leak happened due to a "pipe backup on two different levels of the stadium," though further details weren't clear. Kasten added that the team isn't worried about the leak affecting Thursday's home opener at the venerable stadium, which will celebrate its 56th birthday on April 10.
Attempts to stop the leak and clean up the mess proved futile, both during and after the game. The Dodgers and Angels agreed to call the game after a 32-minute delay, with the home team earning a rather smelly 4-3 victory in five innings.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
"Crappy way to end the spring," pitcher Ross Stripling cracked postgame, according to McCullough. "Get it?"
