The fifth game of the World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays will resume tonight, approximately 45 hours after it was suspended by bad weather in Philadelphia.

When play resumes at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies will be coming to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning with the score tied 2-2. It will begin at 8:37 p.m. New York time, Major League Baseball said in a statement.

Philadelphia leads the best-of-seven-game series 3-1.

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig decided not to continue the game last night because of rain, cold and wind. There's a 20 percent chance of rain tonight, according to the National Weather Service. The low temperature is expected to be 36 degrees Fahrenheit (2.2 Celsius), with winds between 6 and 9 miles (9.6 and 14.5 kilometers) per hour.

Game 6, if necessary, will be played tomorrow at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

A victory tonight would give the Phillies their first World Series title in 28 years. Manager Charlie Manuel said yesterday he's not worried about his team's focus after the unexpected weather delay.

"When we come to the ballpark, we're concentrating on winning," he said at a news conference. "That's all that's important to us. We've got 3 1/2 innings of baseball. We get to bat four times, they get to bat three. We get 12 outs and they get nine. That's all we want to be focused on."

Pinch-Hitter

Rays reliever Grant Balfour will face a pinch hitter for Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels when play resumes. Manuel said he would probably use one of three left-handed hitters on his bench — Geoff Jenkins, Greg Dobbs or Matt Stairs — while the top of the batting order follows, with Jimmy Rollins and Jayson Werth.

Manuel and Rays manager Joe Maddon both said they planned to use relievers to finish the game instead of starters. Maddon likened the remaining 3 1/2 innings to a sudden-death overtime period seen in sports such as football and soccer.

"We're going to have rested bullpens, people have rested starters for games in the future. All that stuff is in order," Maddon said. "It's just going to come down to three and a half innings to play. Hopefully that's all it's going to take."

No Hamels

Maddon said he felt the Rays have an advantage because the delay means that Hamels won't return after throwing 75 pitches and allowing two runs over six innings. The Most Valuable Player of the National League Championship Series, Hamels entered the game with a 4-0 record and 1.55 earned run average.

"He was our best pitcher and we were trying to get the most out of him," said Manuel, who ruled out any chance of Hamels staying in the game. "I felt like he was definitely on course to go at least seven innings and more likely eight."

Selig said at a pre-game meeting that Game 5 would be played to completion rather than cut short because of rain, though neither Maddon nor Manuel told their players.

"I don't like the idea of putting different thoughts in players' heads," Maddon said. "If our guys felt motivated in that respect I love it."

The Rays tied the game in the top of the sixth inning two days ago as B.J. Upton singled, stole second base in a muddy infield and scored on a two-out single by Carlos Pena. Umpires halted play after the half inning.

The Phillies have a 6-0 record at home during this year's playoffs.

"All year long we've been in a situation where we can control our destiny," Manuel said. "And it's no different. It's up to us to stay focused and win. If we don't get the job done or something, I have no complaints at all, because it's in our hands, it's all up to us to do it."