Nationals Defeat Dodgers 5-3 In Completion Of Suspended Game
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pinch-hitter Matt den Dekker lined a two-run homer in the eighth inning that lifted the Washington Nationals over the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Saturday, completing a game suspended a day earlier after the fifth because of a lighting malfunction.
The game was delayed three times Friday night by a bank of lights on the third-base side that kept going out, and finally stopped with Washington ahead 3-2. The Nationals said Saturday that a faulty circuit breaker caused the outage.
The Dodgers and Nationals were set to play their scheduled game later Saturday afternoon.
When the suspended game resumed, Adrian Gonzalez hit his second homer of the game, a tying shot in the Dodgers sixth.
Den Dekker hit his second homer of the season and the first of his career as a pinch hitter. The two-out drive into the second deck came against Pedro Baez (2-2).
Yunel Escobar homered and doubled twice for Washington.
Casey Janssen (1-2) pitched one inning. Drew Storen picked up his 28th save after allowing the first two batters to reach base in the ninth.
Gonzalez, the second batter after play resumed, made it 3-all when he connected against Tanner Roark pitch for his 20th home run of the season. Seven of Gonzalez's nine hits over his last 10 games have been home runs.
The first stoppage occurred in the fourth inning Friday night and lasted 1 hour, 22 minutes. Los Angeles led 2-1 in the middle of the fifth when there was a second delay for 40 minutes.
Once the lights went back on, Roark doubled and Escobar homered off Chin-Hui Tsao for a 3-2 lead.
After the half inning ended, the Nationals were in the field, poised to start the sixth when the same bank of lights went out.
Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann allowed two runs and three hits in four innings. Roark pitched the fifth Friday night, and took the mound when play resumed Saturday.
Mike Bolsinger of the Dodgers gave up a run on two hits before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the fifth.
Washington used an RBI groundout by Bryce Harper to go up 1-0 in the third. Gonzalez answered in the fourth with a shot into the seats in right field after Zimmermann hit Justin Turner with a pitch.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Nationals: INF Anthony Rendon (left quadriceps strain) was scheduled to begin a rehabilitation assignment Saturday night for Class A Potomac, according to manager Matt Williams. . OF Jayson Werth (broken left wrist) was slated to play the outfield in his third game with Potomac. . 1B Ryan Zimmerman (left foot plantar fasciitis) took batting and infield practice prior to the game.
ON DECK
Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw (6-6, 2.85 ERA) starts Saturday's scheduled game. He's 7-2 lifetime against the Nationals and unbeaten in five starts since Aug. 6, 2010.
Nationals: Doug Fister (3-4, 4.08 ERA) makes his 12th start of the season, only the eighth against a team other than Atlanta. Washington is 4-7 in his 11 outings.
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