District On Deck
FanSided

Washington Nationals: Metro Issues Will Affect NLDS Game 5

By Ron Juckett

Jul 19, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Baseball fans stand in front of a cooling fan before the game between the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 19, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Baseball fans stand in front of a cooling fan before the game between the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

A reminder if you are going to Game 5 Thursday, as the Washington Nationals hope to win their NLDS, that with Metro repairs ongoing the last train is at 11:20. Here are other options.

As exciting as it is for the Washington Nationals to host Thursday’s Game 5 of the National League Divisional Series, please remember if you go that the Metro is not the best way to go.

Normally, if you are lucky to have tickets, it is the best way. With a year-long remodeling project under way and the length of playoff games, the system will likely be closed by the time the game ends.

D.C. Sports Bog reminds us the last train out of Navy Yard is 11:20 PM. First pitch is 8:08. If you have tickets, you cannot depend on the game ending in time. Besides, with a win, you want to be there to celebrate anyway, right?

Carpooling would be the best way, splitting the parking fee for such a memorable night. There will be bus service, unaffected by the train repairs. The DC Circulator will have full postgame services.

More from District on Deck

Yes, there is Uber, but beware of price gouging after the game. There will be a demand and you will pay for it.

TalkNats.com—a fellow Washington Nationals blog—has established the Twitter hashtag, #NatsRide, to help connect those of you wanting to stay past the last train and stay as long as you want.

WMATA, the organization that runs Metro, has said from the outset that service will not expand for any Nationals’ playoff game this year. Thursday will be the first time the Nationals have played a primetime game at home this postseason. If they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday would be home games against the Chicago Cubs.

Because of the Cubs’ popularity, there is a good chance all three games would run at 8:00 at night and none would finish before Metro closed for the evening. Although you would think some accommodation would happen to help shuffle over 43,000 to the park and home, WMATA is entitled to do what they need for safety.

Hopefully, the city and WMATA can figure out a way to appease the crowd and the rigid schedule needed for repairs. No Washington team has played in a league semifinal since 1998 and the Nats want all of you that can go to go. If the Nationals go all the way to the World Series, they would host the middle three games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

It is important, if you call WMATA, not to be rude and demanding. The Metro did not extend hours for the Marine Marathon and other events recently. They do not want to make any exceptions.

Next: Why The Nats Need Game 5

If you are going Thursday night. Plan now so you can enjoy the game and get home.

Home/Nationals News