


WASHINGTON — On a lost day at Nationals Park, both teams avoided decisions.
Thousands of fans who stuck around through hours of rain delays instead took the loss.
The Mets-Nationals game was suspended due to what the Nationals called “inclement weather” long after rain had stopped Saturday.
The two teams will play a split-admission doubleheader Sunday, with the continuation of Saturday’s game beginning at 12:35 p.m., and the second game starting at 4:35 p.m.
The first game will start in the top of the third inning of a game the Nationals lead, 1-0.
The game was delayed at 4:43 p.m., and no updates were given until the postponement announcement was made nearly four hours later, at 8:38 p.m.
By that point, no rain had fallen for hours, the tarp had long been removed from the field, and the grounds crew had put significant work into the infield.
Shortly before 7 p.m., the grounds crew removed the tarp from the infield and was working on getting it off the left-field grass when the workers stopped.
Crew chief Paul Emmel and Nationals manager Dave Martinez talked between first and second base and soon were joined by Buck Showalter.
A few minutes later, the tarp was placed back on the infield.
And a few minutes afterward, the tarp was, finally, taken off the field. The grounds crew then worked on what appeared to be a dry field until the game was called more than an hour later.
It is possible that the field was deemed unplayable.
“Let’s play baseball” cheers rang out at 8:10 from the fans who remained, greatly outnumbering the zero in the dugouts.
When the game was called, the Mets had runners on third (Daniel Vogelbach) and second (Michael Perez) with one out. On the mound was Nationals pitcher Trevor Williams, who tried to stay warm through the delay with simulated innings in the bullpen before eventually giving up.
The Mets had received two innings from Joey Lucchesi, and their plan, if the game had resumed, was unclear.
Their only reliever who was fresh was Stephen Nogosek. Dominic Leone’s status was unclear because he felt elbow discomfort a day prior.
Showalter would have wanted to stay away from relievers who pitched Friday (David Robertson, Adam Ottavino, Drew Smith and Jeff Brigham).
The only other active reliever was Tommy Hunter, who threw 31 pitches Thursday.