Baseball is as American as apple pie, so it’s only fitting that the national pastime be played in our country’s capital on the Fourth of July. Following a tradition of an early start time, first pitch of Sunday’s game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals was scheduled for 11:05 a.m ET.
The Nationals began the tradition in 2012, and went into the day 5-3 in such Fourth of July games. The early start was implemented so locals could enjoy Washington D.C.’s other Independence Day festivities.
Sunday’s start time was the Dodgers’ earliest of 2021, and it came on the heels of a night game that experienced a rain delay that lasted nearly two hours.