Dodgers, Giants wait through 2½ hours of delays, will play deep into night

SAN FRANCISCO >> After losing 10 games in a row and 15 of their past 16, the Dodgers arrived at AT&T Park on Monday afternoon willing to go to extremes if that’s what it took to turn things around.

They would have to.

The dark clouds that have followed them the past two weeks dropped rain on AT&T Park, two separate delays – one before the game even started and another after just one batter. After waiting 2½ hours, both sides agreed to resume the game at 10:50 p.m. and play deep into the night rather than play a doubleheader in the next two days – or give up a mutual off day Thursday. The Dodgers are scheduled to travel cross country Thursday to Washington for a three-game weekend series against the Nationals.

But the Dodgers were able to make more progress in the National League West by not playing than their efforts on the field have produced in the past 10 days. The Arizona Diamondbacks lost, 5-4, at home to the Colorado Rockies on Monday, their game finishing just as the San Francisco grounds crew began prepping the field (again) for the resumption of play at AT&T Park.

That loss cut the Dodgers’ magic number to clinch the NL West down to 10.

Monday’s storm arrived as the Dodgers finished their pre-game workout and the start of the game was delayed 42 minutes before first pitch. It was stopped minutes later after five pitches to just one batter. That batter, Curtis Grandersogamen, struck out – apt, considering the way things have been going for the Dodgers recently.

A downpour followed and the rains persisted until after 10 p.m. When it finally stopped, team and MLB officials conferred. After the umpire crew chief walked the field with the head of the grounds crew and met with both teams, the decision was made to resume play.