Dodgers vs. Nationals NLDS Game 2 postponed by rain until Sunday

Nationals fans seek shelter from the rain.

(Shawn Thew / EPA)

Game 2 of the Dodgers-Nationals National League division series, scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Nationals Park, has been postponed because of a forecast of continuing rain. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred made the announcement at a news conference.

The game will instead be played Sunday at 10 a.m. PT, nixing the scheduled travel day and requiring a quick turnaround for Monday’s 1 p.m. PT Game 3 at Dodger Stadium.

“We hate to make travel worse on our players than it was intended to be,” Manfred said. “But it just doesn’t look like we’re going to have a situation where it’s safe for our players to play.”

Rain has been falling in the Washington region throughout the day, and, according to Manfred, is slated to continue until at least 8 p.m. After that, mist is in the forecast, and Manfred expressed doubt the field would be fit for the players thereafter.

The Dodgers beat the Nationals, 4-3, in Friday’s Game 1 uninterrupted by rain. Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill was slated to oppose Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark in today’s Game 2.

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Julio Urias

(Denis Poroy / Getty Images)

Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts outlined a tentative plan for Game 4 of the National League division series, leaning toward using rookie Julio Urias rather than Clayton Kershaw on three days of rest.

Roberts indicated that Kershaw starting the fourth game is still “on the table,” when he spoke before Game 2 on Saturday. But the organization would prefer to utilize Urias.

“For me, last night has no bearing on our decision, going forward,” Roberts said. “He says he feels great. That’s the most important thing for us.”

Kershaw logged five laborious innings against the Nationals in Game 1. He struggled to command his slider and allowed eight hits. But he struck out seven and still emerged with credit for the win.

Kershaw threw 101 pitches in the game, his highest output since June. But he still returned to his normal routine after a start, an encouraging sign for the team, considering the two months he missed with a herniated disk. He ran in the outfield. He played catch. He even took a few minutes to sign autographs for fans standing nearby in the rain.

One of the theories about Kershaw’s occasional stumbles in the postseason is that perhaps his intensity overrides his composure. Roberts did not reject the premise, although he said it didn’t indicate some sort of personality deficiency.

“That’s what makes him great, and what has made him great for a long time,” Roberts said. “It’s hard to tell a person who’s wired a certain way, when it does get to the biggest stage, to taper down. That’s hard. But I think he’s understanding, I think he’s starting to see a little bit more.

“Regardless of his past postseason history, every time he takes the ball, you have a great feeling. I do think that he’s growing. He’s continuing to grow. He’s certainly open to a lot more things than he has been in the past.”

Justin Turner makes a catch on a foul ball in the eighth inning.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Evidently, the hocus-pocus Manager Dave Roberts used to navigate a 162-game schedule can be effective in October.

How the Dodgers earned a 4-3 victory over the Washington Nationals in the opening game of their National League division series marked a striking departure from their longstanding franchise blueprint that called for dominant starting pitching.

Clayton Kershaw lasted only five innings? So what?

These Dodgers have offensive firepower, which manifested itself at Nationals Park in home runs by Corey Seager and Justin Turner that established an early four-run lead. They have a dominant bullpen that limited the Nationals to a solitary hit over the last four innings.

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