Start times set for NLDS Games 4 and 5

By Dan Kolko

Nationals

October 09, 2012, 11:14am

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Major League Baseball has announced the start times for Games 4 and 5 of the National League Division Series between the Nationals and Cardinals, and the schedule will bring the Sun Monster into play on Thursday. Game 4 is currently set to begin at 4:07 p.m., on Thursday, although it could be moved back an hour to 5:07 p.m., if the Tigers-Athletics series has ended by then. Essentially, if the Tigers, who hold a 2-0 lead in that series, win tonight or tomorrow, the Nats-Cardinals will play Game 4 at 5:07 p.m. If that series goes to a fifth game, then the Nats and Cardinals will start their Game 4 at 4:07 p.m. Regardless of when the game begins, the outfielders on both teams could have to battle the sun in the early innings. The issues with the sun here at Nats Park have been well-documented. It affected two games in two days during a series with the Brewers, when Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth and Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez all lost balls in the sun. Manager Davey Johnson said today that he was fine with tomorrow's 1 p.m. start time. "I'm glad it's not a four o'clock start," Johnson said. Thursday, it could be. Friday's Game 5, if necessary, will be at 8:37 p.m.