WASHINGTON -- The Dodgers’ trip to the nation’s capital might go down as one of the most challenging road series of the season. Not so much because of the Nationals, though they are a solid young team, but mostly due to the battle they had against weather.
All three games in D.C. had a rain delay. On Saturday, both teams waited four hours and 10 minutes before taking the field. On Sunday, there was a 58-minute delay in the fifth inning.
But despite the wet conditions, the Dodgers still found a way to be ready, something they’ve been really good at this season. With a 7-3 win over the Nats on Sunday at Nationals Park, Los Angeles took the series against Washington and salvaged a 3-3 road trip that started with a series loss against the Marlins in Miami.
- Games remaining: vs. SD (3), at SEA (3), vs. DET (3), vs. SF (4), at COL (4), at SF (3)
- Standings update: The Dodgers (87-55) lead the D-backs (75-69) by 13 games in the National League West, but they trail the Braves (93-49) by six games for the No. 1 seed in the National League.
- Magic number to clinch NL West: 7
“We’re not looking ahead,” said Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas. “We’re looking at what needs to be done today to win the game and get closer to what we want to do. We don’t want to take anything for granted and say, ‘OK, it’s going to happen.’ We need to get it done. Everybody in this locker room has a lot of experience, and it’s all about what we need to do every single day to get W’s, and that [magic] number will take care of itself.”
In the series finale, the Dodgers took advantage of contributions from all over the roster. On the pitching side, Ryan Yarbrough got his first start since joining Los Angeles at the Trade Deadline and pitched well, allowing two runs over four innings before the rain came pouring down.
Yarbrough has had quite the week, as he flew to Tampa following the Marlins series to welcome his second daughter, who was born on Friday. The left-hander returned to the D.C. area Saturday with the expectation to start on Sunday. Yarbrough will now head to paternity leave and return for next weekend’s series in Seattle.
“We have things pretty well-managed, and [we] understood the role everything was going to take,” Yarbrough said. “So just very glad I was able to be there for all the important things and know they’re in safe hands.”
Offensively, the Dodgers wasted no time getting to Nationals starter Trevor Williams, opening up a 4-0 lead through two innings. Jason Heyward got them on the board with a two-run single in the first. In the second, it was James Outman’s homer that highlighted the attack.
The bottom of Los Angeles’ order shined in the win, especially Austin Barnes and Rojas. Barnes had two hits, and Rojas finished with a season-high four knocks. Rojas has recorded at least one hit in six of the eight games he has started in September.
“Obviously, Miguel had a big day,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “Today, there wasn’t a whole lot of stuff going on in the middle of the lineup, but the bottom carried us today.”
The road trip started with the news that Julio Urías wasn’t going to make the trip with the club following an arrest on domestic violence charges last Sunday. Urías was placed on paid administrative leave a few days later.
On the field, Los Angeles dealt with a scare on Mookie Betts, who left the stadium in Miami on Thursday on crutches after fouling a ball off his left foot. And then, of course, the club had to play through all the rain delays.
But the upcoming week could bring some champagne as the Dodgers look to pop bubbly as National League West champions for the 10th time in 11 seasons.
“If you feel tired or you feel uncomfortable or whatever it is, we have to get it done,” Rojas said. “That’s the only thing we have on our mind right now.”