The Nationals will have to wait until July to find out if they can survive the damage inflicted by their bullpen Tuesday.
After the relievers gave up five runs in a four-inning stretch Tuesday, forcing the game with the Astros into extra innings with the score tied at 10, play was halted after a 76-minute rain delay in the 11th inning. The Astros do not make another trip to Washington this year, so the game will be resumed July 9 in Houston before the start of a four-game series between the two teams. Washington will be the home team, batting in the bottom of the 11th with one out and Elijah Dukes on first base.
But if the Nationals hadn't blown three leads (two of them botched by the bullpen), they would have walked out with a win well before the rains came.
It's the latest episode in a long year for a group that has already blown five saves and entered Tuesday with a 5.08 ERA.
"Today was the battle of two struggling bullpens," manager Manny Acta said. "We could have helped ourselves if we had played better defense. Our guys battled out there, put up some runs, and we just couldn't come up on top."
ASTROS 10, NATIONALS 10 (susp., 11th inning): Play was suspended in the 11th inning Tuesday due to rain. The game, which has featured six lead changes to this point, will conclude at Houston's Minute Maid Park on July 9, before the start of a four-game series between the teams.
