There are numerous rules governing fan interference in baseball, but we may need to add some rules to address interference from Mother Nature.
On Tuesday night, Norfolk Tides pitcher Roansy Contreras was halfway through his delivery on a pitch to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp’s Graham Pauley when, all of a sudden, a massive thunderclap froze him in mid-delivery. The umpire ruled it a balk, and the runner was brought home from third.
Alright... we don't even know what to say about this. Mother nature and the @JaxShrimp are in cahoots!#SCNotTop10 pic.twitter.com/TZjMZh6ymq
— Norfolk Tides (@NorfolkTides) July 8, 2025
The Tides were quick to argue the call, making the case that the unforeseen natural interference should have been factored in, and Contreras should have been cut a break.
The protests were to no avail, and the run was allowed.
“The entire ballpark jumped up,” the announcer said. “In fact, some fans are not even waiting — they’re going to go for cover right now even though it’s not raining!”
However, if any Jumbo Shrimp fans get the idea that the lightning bolt means God is on their side, they should think again. The rest of the game continued without any interference from man or nature, and at the end of it, the Tides were on top, 9-5.
