A blanket of hail and flash floods create a wild scene in Coors Field

DENVER — Piles of hailstones and flash flooding on the dugout steps created a wild scene before play began late Thursday afternoon at Coors Field, delaying the weather.

In the hours leading up to Game 1 between the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers, a layer of hail blanketed the tarpaulin-protected field as severe weather swept through metro Denver.

The buildup of hail was so significant, one dugout worker was a sight to shovel bucket loads of hailstones away from the entrance to the dugout.

The first show was delayed just before 6pm as the grounds crew continued the cleanup.

In what could not have been a comforting experience, Rocky catcher Elias Diaz slid across the field’s tarp, knocking off a layer of small hailstones in the process.

David Zalubowski/AP

A torrential torrent of water ran down both of the dugout steps and encroached on the corridor leading to the locker rooms.

David Zalubowski/AP