Rendon gives Nationals first lead of NLDS (Belt homers in 18th for 2-1 Giants win)

Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann allowed a base hit in each of the first three innings of Game 2 of the National League Division Series. But in each inning, he has found away to get out of trouble. In the third, with a man on second and one out, Zimmermann struck out Gregor Blanco and got Joe Panik to ground out to first base.

The Nationals were unable to get much going against Giants right-hander Tim Hudson in the first two innings.

But in the third inning, Asdrubal Cabrera dropped a double down the left field line. Zimmermann struck out for the first out, bunting foul for a third strike. Denard Span grounded out to first to get Cabrera to third.

With two away, Anthony Rendon slapped a ground single into left field and Nationals had their first lead of the series at 1-0. Rendon is 2-for-2 to start Game 2.

Update: Zimmermann has allowed no runs on only three hits, with no walks and four strikeouts through six innings. He has retired 11 straight batters.

Rendon is 3-for-3. He has three of the five Nationals hits in the game after another single in the sixth inning. He also has four of the Nationals' 11 hits in the series.

Update II: Hudson is done after allowing a one-out single to Rendon - his fourth of the night - in the eighth.

Hudson allowed a run on seven hits through 7 1/3 innings. He walked none and fanned eight.

Rendon's four-hit game is the first in franchise history in the postseason.

Update III: Zimmermann struck out pinch-hitter Matt Duffy swinging, retired Blanco on a fly ball to center and walked Panik before manager Matt Williams made the long walk to the mound to remove him. Drew Storen is on to try to nail down the save.

Zimmermann gave up a run on three singles in 8 2/3 innings, walked one and struck out six. Not a bad follow-up to a no-hitter.

Buster Posey singled to left center to put runners at first and second and Pablo Sandoval hit a run-scoring double to left. Posey tried to score, too, but was cut down on a relay from Bryce Harper to Desmond to catcher Wilson Ramos. Giants manager Bruce Bochy challenged the call and a replay review uphelp the original call by home plate umpire Vic Carapazza.

Update IV: We're headed to extra innings in a 1-1 tie.

Update V: Tyler Clippard worked around a two-out walk to Brandon Crawford to get out of the 10th.

In the bottom of the inning, leadoff man Asdrubal Cabrera took called second and third strikes and was ejected by Carapazza when he slammed his bat and helmet to the ground after being called out on strikes. Matt Williams came out to argue and was tossed, too.

Pinch-hitter Ryan Zimmerman then singled to left-center and was replaced by pimnch-runner Danny Espinosa. But Denard Span grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Update VI: Matt Thornton got Sandoval on strikes to end the Giants 11th with runners on first and second. Santiago Casilla got the Nats in order in the 11th. We're headed to the 12th.

Update VII: Aaron Barrett came on to work in the 12th, but lasted only one batter. Jerry Blevins relieved after Barrett yielded a double to center by Hunter Pence. A groundout by Brandon Belt moved Pence to third and Brandon Crawford popped to short. Pinch-hitter Andrew Susac grounded out, LaRoche to Blevins covering frst.

Yusmeiro Petit relieved Casilla and issued a four-pitch leadoff walk to Desmond. Harper flew out to deep center, but Desmond tagged and advanced to second. Ramos struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch and pinch-hitter Nate Schierholtz was walked intentionally. Espinosa lined to short to end the inning.

Update VIII: Craig Stammen worked a 1-2-3 13th. In the bottom half, Jayson Werth singled with two down, but LaRoche struck out swinging.

This is the longest postseason game in D.C. baseball history, eclipsing the 12-inning game by the Washington Senators in the 1924 World Series.

We're heading to the 14th.

Update IX: Posey singled to left to open the 14th, but Stammen got out of the inning. With two down, Ramos blocked a ball in the dirt - his third nice block of the frame - and gunned out Posey at second.

Petit struck out the side in the bottom of the inning, and we go to the 15th.

Update X: Stammen completed his third inning of work, getting three groundouts to dispose of San Francisco in the 15th. Span walked with two down in the bottom half, but Rendon flew out to deep center to send the game to the 16th.

Update XI: Rafael Soriano came out of the 'pen to get the Giants in order in the top of the 16th. Petit has finished five scoreless innings of relief and we're heading to the 17th. Tanner Roark will pitch for Washington.

Update XII: This is now the longest game by innings in Nationals history. At 5 hours, 51 minutes, this is the longest game by time in postseason history, besting the Astros-Braves game that went 5 hours, 50 minutes on Oct. 9, 2005.

Roark worked a perfect 17th, but so did Petit. We go to the 18th.

Update XIII: Belt led off the 18th with a homer to right off a 3-2 pitch from Roark, giving the Giants a 2-1 lead. Hunter Strickland closed out the Giants win, giving them a two games to none lead in the NLDS with the series heading back to San Francisco on Monday.