Delayed twice by rain, the Royals lost their only lead in a defeat by the Twins

For 144 minutes here on Friday night, there was no baseball.

Rain descended on Target Field on two different occasions. Game action between the Royals and Twins twice was paused. The field became so waterlogged from the sudden onset of a second shower, the grounds crew battled with a tarp that stuck to the playing surface before it could be stretched over the first-base line.

So some 15 minutes later, when the rain ceased and the grounds crew began to mill about, it took more than 30 minutes to whip the field back into playing shape.

For the Royals, all the waiting — 1 hour, 31 minutes for the delay that began with one out in the top of the fourth inning; 53 minutes for the one that suspended action with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning — was for naught.