CLEVELAND -- The start time for Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday was moved up five hours to 1 p.m. ET because of expected inclement weather.
Major League Baseball announced the changed scheduled time of the game, which was originally scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET, on Wednesday.
The Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians were off Wednesday after opening the series with two games at Tropicana Field, an enclosed ballpark not subject to the elements. Rain is in the forecast for northeast Ohio on Thursday night as the series transitions to Cleveland's open-air Progressive Field.
The series is tied at one game apiece after the Guardians took Game 1 on Monday and the Rays rebounded to win Game 2 on Tuesday. They are scheduled to play Games 3, 4 and 5 at Progressive Field over three consecutive days through Saturday.
"The change, which is based on forecasted rain on Thursday night in Cleveland, is being made proactively in order to remain on schedule in the ALCS," MLB said in a statement.
The teams would return to Tropicana Field to play Games 6 and 7, if necessary, after a scheduled off-day Sunday.