Angel Stadium uses helicopter to dry rainy field

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A lone fan sits in the rain at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Angel Stadium grounds crew has brought in a helicopter to dry the outfield after its first rainout in 20 years.

The helicopter hovered low on the grass Monday morning after a storm saturated the normally dry field Sunday, forcing the postponement of the Los Angeles Angels’ game against the Boston Red Sox. The Angels hadn’t lost a game to rain since June 16, 1995.

The rain dissipated overnight, but the stadium’s outfield drainage isn’t great. So the Angels got a helicopter, copying a trick used by several teams.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia wasn’t impressed. He remembers firemen lighting gasoline to dry the basepaths for the championship game in his Babe Ruth youth league in Pennsylvania.

The Angels and Red Sox are playing the Big A’s first doubleheader since 2003.

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