Lights go out in D.C., Nats game suspended

WASHINGTON — Bryce Harper joked that he shouldn’t have used the blow dryer before the game. Max Scherzer blamed Taylor Swift.

A game delayed three times because of a lighting malfunction was suspended after five innings Friday night with the Nationals leading the Dodgers 3-2.

“I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann said.

The game is scheduled to resume Saturday at 2:05 p.m. EDT. Each of the three delays was caused by a bank of lights on the third-base side going out.

“My bad everybody,” tweeted Harper. “I knew I shouldn’t of used that blow dryer before the game! #shortage”

Tweeted Scherzer, “Well who was the last one to use Nationals Park last? Taylor Swift.. I blame her for the power outs tonight. We now have #BadBlood”

The first stoppage occurred in the fourth inning and lasted 1 hour, 22 minutes. Play resumed for nine minutes before the lights went out again.

Los Angeles led 2-1 in the middle of the fifth inning when the second delay occurred. It lasted 40 minutes. Once the lights went back on, pitcher Tanner Roark doubled and Yunel Escobar homered off Chin-Hui Tsao for a 3-2 lead.

After the half inning ended, the Nationals were in the field, poised to start the sixth when that pesky set of lights cut off again.

“After the first, don’t know if anyone quite knew what was going on or how long it would take,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “Second time, they felt they kind of knew and said basically if it happened again then we wouldn’t finish it.”

The first stoppage ultimately forced both starting pitchers out of the game. Zimmermann allowed two runs and three hits in four innings.

He warmed up during the delay, hopeful of getting back in, but once the stoppage reached an hour he knew his outing was over.

Mike Bolsinger of the Dodgers returned after the outage and got two outs to end the fourth inning before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the fifth.

Bolsinger passed the time by signing autographs for the fans during the stoppage.

“I thought it was a good way to keep my arm loose,” he said.

— Staff and wire reports