MOOSIC, Pa. -- Sky of blue, field of green, and not a cloud to be seen.

Nor fans, or a ball game for that matter.

Despite perfect baseball weather, and expectations of a sellout on the Fourth of July, Saturday's tilt between the Pawtucket Red Sox and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees has been postponed, due to unplayable conditions at PNC Field.

It is hoped that the game will be made up Sunday (5:05 p.m.) as part of a double-header.

But with the heart of the matter -- a faulty drainage system that simply quit in recent days -- any resumption of play is iffy.

The buildup of water has left the outfield turf and grass in unstable shape.

"They've got a very unfortunate situation out there with their drainage," said PawSox manager Ron Johnson, "and it's very commendable that they're putting safety first."

After arriving from Pawtucket, where the same teams met ther previous two days, Johnson and Yankees manager Dave Miley took a tour of the outfield grass, and found it unfit to play on.

"We walked the field," Johnson said.  "They've got problems. It's like sod the day you first lay it down. It's spongy and shifts. It (could) put guys in a situation where they could get hurt."

Johnson said that had the game been played, rehabbing Boston shortstop Jed Lowrie would still have been in the line up, but as designated hitter.

"He could go back for a pop up and set his feet," he said, "and they could go out from under him."

Meanwhile, the PawSox kept their bats loose with some extra cage work, while pitchers threw in the bullpen and ran in those parts of the outfield that were dry enough.

Johnson said he wasn't worried about any "layover effect" caused by players not being able to get their work in.

"We'll be fine," he said. "It's not a big deal. But I feel sorry for those families (for whom) this was going to be their day to come to the game. I feel more for the people of Scranton, than our situation."

Set to start for Pawtucket today are RHP Michael Bowden (3-4, 3.39) and RHP Charlie Zink (4-7, 4.48). The Yankees are slated to counter with LHP Kei Igawa (6-3, 3.80) and RHP Ivan Nova (1-0, 0.00).