The Portland Sea Dogs’ 2017 season opener Thursday at Hadlock Field has been postponed because of rain. Team officials announced the decision about six hours before the scheduled 6 p.m. start.

The Sea Dogs are now scheduled to open the season at Hadlock at 6 p.m. Friday against the Reading Fightin Phils. Thursday’s game will be made up as part of a single admission doubleheader on May 5 at 5 p.m.

This is the fifth time in the Sea Dogs’ 24-year history that their home opener has been postponed – but the first time the opener has been called because of rain. The other four years (2001, 2003, 2007 and 2015) the opener was postponed because of snow or poor field conditions due to melting snow.