Nationals Outlast Dodgers 4-0 After Lengthy Delay

May 5, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals grounds crew rolls out the tarp during a rain delay during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park. During therein delay the Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers game was played on the jumbo screen. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

After the three hour rain delay ended at 11:43 pm last night, the Nats were up 2-0 before five relievers pitched the final five innings after Jordan Zimmermann‘s weather shortened start.

The Nationals got off to a quick start in the first inning.  As the raindrops were just starting to fall, Span led off the game with a line drive double to left.  Anthony Rendon took ball one up near his helmet, but responded quickly against Dodgers right hander Zack Greinke, driving the next pitch—a slow curveball—out to the red porch in left center for a quick 2-0 lead.

Jordan Zimmermann went to work after that, firing three more scoreless innings before the rain delay proved too lengthy for he and Greinke to return.

At 11:43 pm, Aaron Barrett came out of the dugout to take over for Zimmermann, and he, Jerry Blevins, Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard, and Rafael Soriano finished the game off for the Nats.  A crowd of just a few hundred people were standing when Soriano induced a game ending groundout from Andre Ethier at well past 1 in the morning.

Danny Espinosa doubled the lead to 4-0 in the eighth with a two run home run off Pedro Baez.  Nate McLouth was forced to leave the game in the top of the eighth inning after making a spectacular catch off the bat of Dee Gordon, when he slammed into the side wall on the same play.