Suspended game ruins Ross' impressive start against Reds (updated)

Wednesday night's game between the Reds and Nationals was suspended after a lengthy rain delay, with the decision officially announced at 11:35 p.m. The suspended game, still slated for nine innings, will be resumed at 2:05 p.m. on Thursday with the regularly scheduled series finale following at 7:05 p.m. as a seven-inning game.

Play was halted at 8:31 p.m. with the Nationals ahead 3-0 and the tarp was placed on the field as a forecast downpour began. After more than three hours - and the hilarious appearance of a streaker who ran in from center field, slid on the tarp then briefly took refuge in the roller before being apprehended and escorted through the center field gate - the teams were sent home.

Manager Davey Martinez said in his postgame Zoom session with reporters that he hadn't yet decided who will take over for starter Joe Ross when the game resumes Thursday with the Nats batting in the bottom of the fourth.

"I'll figure all that stuff out tonight," Martinez said.

Lost in the rainout was a much more efficient outing from right-hander Ross, who tweaked his delivery slightly to raise his hands in his windup and immediately saw positive results, throwing 38 of his 55 pitches for strikes.

"Felt like it put my hand in a better position trying to deliver my pitches: fastball, change-up and slider," Ross said.

Said Martinez: "The slider was really sharp. He had a lot of choke on the slider today."

Ross needed 22 pitches to get through a first inning that saw the Reds put runners on first and second with two down. But he got Tyler Stephenson to ground out to third to end the threat. Then the Nationals took advantage of Jeff Hoffman's struggles with command to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom half.

Juan Soto drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on Josh Bell's single. Starlin Castro's liner to left plated Soto and a walk to Josh Harrison loaded the bases. Then Alex Avila walked to force in another run.

"It was good to get some early run support, for sure," Ross said. "The tack-on run always helps."

The Nationals seemed primed for another big inning, working Hoffman for a pair of one-out walks in the second, before the right-hander exited with right shoulder soreness. Brad Brach relieved and got a couple of fly balls around an infield single by Kyle Schwarber to escape further damage.

Ross helped his own cause in the third, delivering a two-out single to right to plate Harrison, who had led off the frame with a single, stole second and moved to third on Andrew Stevenson's grounder.

After disposing of the Reds for his second straight 1-2-3 inning in the fourth, Ross got an unexpected break, courtesy of a thunderstorm that brought out the tarp before the Nats could bat in the bottom of the fourth.

Martinez said the Nationals would get a 27th man for the seven-inning game Thursday night.

Update: Tickets and parking passes for Wednesday's suspended game will be accepted for the Thursday resumption at 2:05 p.m., the Nationals announced. Fans who transferred seats to another fan via their online access account are encouraged to tell those parties to keep those tickets and use them for entry to the rescheduled game.

Those unable to attend the 2:05 p.m. game on Thursday may exchange tickets and parking passes for a future 2021 home game, subject to availability. All exchanges must occur prior to 5 p.m. on Friday, May 28. Fans can exchange tickets at the Nationals Park Box Office between 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Thursday, May 27 or between 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday, May 28.

Tickets purchased via Stubhub or other secondary markets will be honored only for the 2:05 p.m. game Thursday, May 27 and are not eligible to be exchanged.