John Matthews
WMAL.com

WASHINGTON — (WMAL) What’s more challenging that a Max Scherzer slider?

Coming up with a plan to stay for the entire ballgame tonight and then finding a way home.

With Metro waylaid by its Safetrack program, General Manager Paul Wiedefeld says there’s no way to keep the rail system open late, and with the first pitch not coming until 8:08 pm, it’s likely that Metro will close before the game ends.

So what’s the plan?

“Nats fans are amazingly persistent and creative, and we know that they’re going to plan ahead,” DC Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters Wednesday.

In other words, you’re on your own.

You can probably forget about driving at this point. Nearby parking lots take reservations, and they are all showing up online as being filled up.

There are some options, beginning with the least appealing one of all – leaving early.

The last Metro train will leave the Navy Yard station at 11:40 pm. If you need to connect to the Red line to get home, however, you’ll need to catch a train by 11:20 pm, which likely means walking out by the seventh inning stretch.

Determined to see the game through? Here are some other possibilities.

How about ride-sharing? Nats fans determined to keep the stands full to the bitter end have launched the #NatsRide hashtag, in a bid to create ride-sharing options. You can find out more details here. 

The DC Circulator bus will be running, and you could take it to your car at Union Station or elsewhere along the route. Metrobus will also have some options. The P6 bus travels from the park and goes to L’Enfant Plaza, for example.

The Potomac Riverboat Company has boat service running from Alexandria for $37 per person roundtrip, with free parking available on the Virginia side.

Uber and Lyft figure to make a fortune carrying people home from the game, but that option could take a long time, as demand will almost certainly outstrip supply.

And biking is always an option for some, of course.

If the Nationals beat the Dodgers tonight, they will face the same problems when they get to the National League Championship series next week, when the Nats would host games on Tuesday, Wednesday and possibly Thursday. Metro says it will NOT stay open late during the NLCS, either.

And what if the Nationals advance to the WORLD Series? Wiedefeld says Metro MAY be able to schedule some late closings.

Let’s hope that’s an issue Metro has to deal with.

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