Bumgarner’s throwing error was the key play today obviously, how the Giants and Nationals play going forward will determine how costly this moment will end up being.

Womiles:

There are, of course, myriad alternate futures. Tomorrow here in Japan is just one of them.

Indeed. In this future, the Washington Nationals (1-2) and San Francisco Giants (2-1) will be playing again tomorrow in a NLDS Game 4 at 9:07 EST and the Giants have to feel a little uneasy.

Nationals 4-0 Giants, bottom 9th

Soriano is in the Washington bullpen and warming up quick. This could backfire badly. Storen falls behind Belt 2-0 and AT&T Park is as loud as it has been all day. Belt swings and fouls off on pitches 3 and 4.

Belt freezes on Storen’s 2-2 pitch and that’s strike three! Two outs left!

Nationals 4-0 Giants, bottom 9th

Hunter Pence hits a double! Runners on second and third and nobody out! This can’t happen again, can it?

Nationals 4-0 Giants, bottom 9th

Drew Storen’s potential redemption inning begins. He falls behind Sandoval 2-0, but the Kung Fu Panda swings at pitch three. But he does hit a single on the next pitch. One on, nobody out.

Nationals 4-0 Giants, bottom 9th

Email from Will Miner:

I was at work so I didn’t see any of this until I got home. The Foxsports headline put the whole game on Bumgarner’s error. But it looks like the Nats may be dominating, this one at least. Do they look better than the past two games?
(I’m tired of SF, so I was rooting for the Nats.)

They look better these last two innings. It was only one run in the ninth, but that was as good as I’ve seen from their offense. They had Harper-ian confidence.

Nationals 4-0 Giants, top 9th

The new pitcher is lefty Jeremy Affeldt and Williams makes a corresponding move and brings in the NEW new pinch-hitter in Ryan Zimmerman who hits a dribbler and ends the inning.

Nationals 4-0 Giants, top 9th

Cabrera also hits a potentially scary flyball but Pence is able to run it down, extend his arm and reel it in for the second out.

Nate Schierholtz is coming in to pinch-hit here in the pitcher’s spot and Giants manager Bruce Bochy is making a bullpen move.

Nationals 4-0 Giants, top 9th

Before that homer I was going to say Harper’s been having a good all-around game. I don’t think that’s changed. Ramos hits a screamer off of Machi but it’s caught by Blanco. One out in the inning.

Nationals 3-0 Giants, bottom 8th

Buster Posey grounds out to Desmond and the Nationals are three outs away from living to see another game.

Nationals 3-0 Giants, bottom 8th

Tyler Clippard, who is (flips coin) currently their 8th inning reliever and not their closer, is facing Joe Panik now with no one on and one man out. Panik works a full count, but gets jammed and grounds out.

Nationals 3-0 Giants, bottom 8th

Tyler Clippard is on the mound for Fister. Gregor Blanco lines out on the first pitch. I have stop believin’ in him.

Nationals 3-0 Giants, top 8th

STEVE PERRY IS HERE! I TOTALLY KNEW IT!

Nationals 3-0 Giants, top 8th

Hunter Pence makes a catch against the stands to retire Ian Desmond and that’s a 1-2-3 inning for Machi in the span of like four minutes.

Nationals 3-0 Giants, top 8th

And LaRoche grounds out. This is going even faster. Not that I’m complaining.

Nationals 3-0 Giants, top 8th

Duffman can’t get it done in the 7th. Oh Yeah!

RHP Jean Machi is on in relief for Bumgarner to face Werth, whom he strikes out.

Nationals 3-0 Giants, bottom 7th

And Madison Bumgarner is out of the game as Matt Duffy comes in to hit for him and he hits what looks like it could be a base hit but Cabrera makes the play and that that’s it for the Giants.

Nationals 3-0 Giants, bottom 7th

Ishikawa hits what looks like it’s going to be an extra base hit but Harper somehow makes the catch and it’s the second out.

Nationals 3-0 Giants, bottom 7th

Crawford grounds out, Belt advances to second base on the play but that’s an exchange the Nats are willing to make here.

Nationals 3-0 Giants, bottom 7th

Doug Fister faces Brandon Belt, which sounds weirdly dirty, to start the bottom of the seventh after Tony Bennett sings “God Bless America.”

Belt belts a base hit again. Can the Giants strike back?

Seventh Inning Stretch Of The Dream Man

Nationals 3-0 Giants, bottom 7th

Email from womiles, subject “Back from the future”

The Giants win at home today in three. (That’s iambic pentameter, pard)

I know that because I am following you, prone on my futon, in Hitagawa, Japan, where it is already tomorrow morning.

Well I can’t argue with the future, but the Giants are going to need some runs here. Maybe they should hope that Williams goes to Storen at some point?

Nationals 3-0 Giants, top 7th

Span pops up to shortstop for the second out and Rendon grounds out for the third out but the damage has been done and three runs might be enough in this game.

Nationals 3-0 Giants, top 7th

Fister attempts to bunt over Cabrera, who made it to second on the failed attempt to get Ramos out at home, but pops it up, Sandoval dives to make the catch to get the first out of the inning.

Finally.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 7th

Okay, a baserunner here. Bryce Harper at the plate. Nobody out. This would be a time for a rally. Madison Bumgarner falls behind Harper 3-0 who takes a called strike. Maybe nervous time in San Francisco?

Perhaps, Harper takes ball four and it’s runners on first and second and still nobody out in a scoreless game late.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 7th

Ian Desmond with a lead-off single!

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 6th

LaRoche makes a backhand catch after Pence hits one foul and are we at the seventh inning already? We are. Hot damn.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 6th

And Pablo Sandoval pops up. Everyone is in a rush here.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 6th

I was planning to make a lot more Twin Peaks references today but the game takes us where it takes us.

Right now it takes us to Doug Fister striking out Buster Posey.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 6th

LaRoche hits the second straight flyball, this one isn’t that scary. Not the best inning for Bumgarner but he gets the job done. To the bottom of the 6th!

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 6th

Jayson Werth hits a HEART ATTACKER of a long fly ball but Blanco catches it. That could have been the ballgame, but it’s just the second out.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 6th

Rendon pops up to Ishikawa, battling the sun. That’s the first out. Here’s Jayson Werth with a runner on and just one out.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 6th

Madison Bumgarner is out there again, surprise surprise, but Span is on base again for what is a non-sarcastic surprise. He hits a line drive single. Here’s Rendon with a chance to get something brewing.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 6th

Email from Joe Kish:

Calm and sunny on the bay this afternoon. Earthquake weather?
There’s just a bit of tail left still wagging beyong the whiskers of the cheshire grin.... Is it bad manners to talk with one’s mouth full? Only question is: Do we continue to prolong the torture? Allowing them to breathe, still, and wiggle towards a way to back out of this bleak and dire grip? Or graciously bite down hard today and then step out for some crab and chardonnay?

I recommend biting hard. Do you want 12 more innings of this? Because it’s very possible.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 5th

Blanco flies out on the first pitch. If only Bumgarner could hit for him. And STAY CALM AND JOE PANIK is up next and he hits a dribbler to LaRoche to end the inning. This is going super-fast.

This tweet brought to you by the closing of the Tigers World Series window.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 5th

Ishikawa flies out almost immediately to center, bringing up Madison Bumgarner once again. Bumgarner works a full-count, you’re one of the good NL pitchers who hit Madison.

And he takes ball four. He’s his own baserunner.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 5th

We’re halfway through regulation already here (don’t cheer too loudly, this one’s going at least 13). Still it’s a good time to remind you lovely people that I’m very eager to use any tweets (tag @HunterFelt) or emails (to Hunter.Felt@theguardian.com) you’d like to send my way.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 5th

And Doug Fister is here and he pops up almost immediately. Well, nobody struck out that inning so hey a little better Nationals offense?

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 5th

Cabrera hits a comebacker back to Bumgarner to bring up Fister.

I really like that sentence. It’s like free verse.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 5th

This one is going 18 innings also isn’t it?

Wilson Ramos starts off the top of 5th against Madison Bumgarner, who just needed nine pitches to get through last inning. Ramos grounds out to Crawford.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 4th

Brandon Belt decides it would be a good idea to get thrown out in second with a runner on and one out in a scoreless game. Then Brandon Crawford looks at strike three to end the inning. THAT IS NOW HOW YOU BASEBALL BRANDONS!

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 4th

Brandon Belt well, um, belts a one-out single off of Doug Fister. Here comes Brandon 2 with a runner on.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 4th

Hunter Pence is going to do something to affect the score of the game, one way or another. Not this time though, he grounds out to Ian Desmond, losing his batting helmet while trying to run to first to beat it.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 4th

And Bumgarner strikes out Bryce Harper on what seems like 1 1/2 pitches. That’s strikeout number six and man he looks locked in. Washington will be looking at that squander in the third if Bumgarner keeps pitching like this.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 4th

Ian Desmond hits a daaaaaangerous looking flyball and Blanco has to run a long-distance marathon to track it down for the out. That had triple written all over it.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 4th

Tony Bennett is in the house by the way. Think we’ll see Steve Perry? Madison Bumgarner is still out there as well, obviously. He’s facing Adam LaRoche, who gets ahead 2-1 and, as happens every time a hitter gets ahead in this series, immediately swings to make it 2-2. And then he swings again and that would be Bumgarner’s fifth strikeout. Yikes.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 3rd

It doesn’t end up doing anything but force Fister to throw one more pitch, to Sandoval, who grounds out to end the third.

To the fourth inning!

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 3rd

Buster Posey hits what looks like it will be a routine flyball to Werth but it drops in. The sun affecting the outfielders today?

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 3rd

Joe Panik hits a long flyball out and that’s two down already.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 3rd

That’s uh... That’s not bad company.

Blanco grounds out to Desmond for the first out of the bottom of the third to bring up the Giants’ actual hitters.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 3rd

I’m just going to let Twitter do all of the actual jokes this afternoon. Just call me Buzzfeed.

Nationals o-o Giants, top 3rd

Jayson Werth with two on in what could be the key situation of the game, considering the potential low-scoring situation, but he grounds out to Panik to end the Washington threat. We’re still scoreless.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 3rd

Once Span is on the bases he’s a speedster. There might be a good chance that he steals... Oh it doesn’t matter as Rendon hits a single so it’s two on and two out.

An email question from Flora Durrant:

I had no idea I was not going to be able to see the Giants game today because my Comcast channel lineup doesn’t include the MLB channel. I couldn’t even get KNBR on my TV. I can’t believe millions like me will not see this game and possible future ones because of not having the high end Comcast Package. Short of going to a bar is there any way to see this game? I’m an 80-year-old senior grandma. 👵
Grandma Jean

It’s on MLB.TV online but that requires a subscription, and it’s on the radio if you have an ESPN Radio affiliate. Any other suggestions, readers?

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 3rd

Here’s Denard Span again. AND HE GETS A HIT! A soft looper that just falls, but still. He’s now 1-13 on the series.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 3rd

Asdrubal Cabrera hits a line drive that Blanco just catches, not the best defensive game for the centerfielder but that’s out number one. Doug Fister is up next, he’s uh, not quite as good of a hitter as Bumgarner and strikes out for Bumgarner’s fourth k.

Sad pandas

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 2nd

Bumgarner has already hit two grand slams, despite being a pitcher. Can he hit a third one? He takes the first pitch for a ball.

The crowd quiets a bit when the next pitch is taken for a strike. Bumgarner tries to hit grand slam number three with a big cut but only catches air. 1-2. Next pitch? Fouled off. Still 1-2 with bases loaded.

FISTER STRIKES HIM OUT! He escapes the early jam.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 2nd

Travis Ishikawa is up, meaning the scary part of the order is over for Fister. He falls behind 0-2 in the span of writing the previous sentence, but takes the next two pitches for balls to even up the count. 2-2. He grounds the next pitch off foul. Still 2-2.

Fister’s next pitch? High. Full count. Next pitch? Ball four, The bases are loaded for Madison Bumgarner.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 2nd

Brandon Crawford is up, hey he hit that grand slam last week that pretty much cemented that W for Bumgarner that took the Giants into the postseason.

He swings and fouls the first pitch off and then he hits a long flyball... but it’s not long enough. The runners have to retreat after it’s caught in the outfield by Bryce Harper! Nationals fans exhale!

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 2nd

Brandon Belt, who should scare the crap out of Washington fans, gets ahead of the count 2-1 but hits the next pitch foul off into the stands. Belt takes a ball inside to make the count 3-2.

And he takes ball four. That’s one way to get Sandoval into scoring position.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 2nd

Hunter Pence swings at the first pitch and hits a long out, Sandoval can’t tag up on it. One down.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 2nd

Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval is up to start the bottom of the second. That’s still one of the best nicknames in the sport. He crushes a double... er, right, it’s Pablo Sandoval and he trips on the basepaths and has to go back so it’s just a real long single.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 2nd

Wilson Ramos swings and misses at a ball in the dirt for Bumgarner’s third strikeout in two innings and this side is so retired.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 2nd

Grounders is the key?

Well, Ian Desmond grounds out to Pablo Sandoval to start the second. Not the grounder the Nationals were looking for, I assume.

Then Bryce Harper lines one right back off Madison Bumgarner, who seems to be okay. Two out.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 2nd

Upon further reflection, if they do extend this series to 5 games, there’s a good chance that the Nationals would then drop it in absolutely soul-crushing fashion. Can I change my prediction?

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 1st

Buster Posey flies out for out number three. That’s a one-two-three inning for Fister.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 1st

Next up is Joe Panik, the most (non X-rated) pun friendly player in this game. Fister falls behind him 3-1, with Buster Posey on deck. Not an ideal. Panik hits the next pitch, a cutter in, foul to make it 3-2. Panik breaks his bat on the next pitch and then grounds out.

Email from Charlie Talbot:

1) You aren’t getting many emails are you?
2) Oddly this is a nervy night for SF, because if they drop this they only have Vogy tomorrow night and 2-2 back to Washington would be ugly. I think it’s win tonight or drop the series in five. 3) This had better no go to 18 innings again, the time difference to the UK is not good for that.

1) Oh my stars no. (You, dear reader, can change that by emailing Hunter.Felt@theguardian.com with these thoughts.)

2) Completely agree, this is either over in 3 or 5.

3) My hands and sanity aren’t good for that either.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, bottom 1st

Gregor Blanco will be leading off the bottom of the first and hoping that I don’t call him Gregor Samsa. He’ll be facing the super-tall and super-fast strike-throwing machine Doug Fister.

Blanco tries to bunt himself on base, but Fister fields it himself for the out. Can we just not have leadoff hitters this series?

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 1st

Adam LaRoche swings and misses at everything to start his first at-bat of the game. He does, however, check his swing on a high one for Bumgarner’s next two pitches. 2-1. Rendon goes on the next pitch but LaRoche pops up to end the inning.

To the bottom of the first!

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 1st

Jayson Werth is up now with one on and one out. He takes a first pitch for a ball, then a second for a strike. The next pitch is also outside, and that’s a 2-1 count on Werth who can be a game-changer with the bat when locked in.

He wasn’t locked in on that pitch, taking a strike to make it 2-2. And on the next pitch, up and out of the zone, Werth can’t hold a check-swing up and that’s the second strikeout in the inning.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 1st

Anthony Rendon bloops a single that Gregory Blanco can’t get to and there goes Bumgarner’s no-hitter.

Nationals 0-0 Giants, top 1st

Span (last seen going 0-7 in 18 innings which holy hell) takes the second pitch for a strike. 1-1. Span takes his first swing but hits it foul and out of play. 1-2. He fouls the next one off of himself. Still 1-2. He then takes ball two. 2-2.

On 2-2, Span spoils one off, a good at-bat here, making Bumgarner throw pitches, but he swings at the next offering to strike out. Span is now 0-12 in the series.

(Searches YouTube furiously for Star Spangled Banner as sung by Julee Cruise. Fails.)

Note: If you wondered how hard some of the Kansas City Royals partied last night, the answer? THEY PARTIED SO HARD!

The Washington Nationals did have the best opening pitch of the postseason so far on Game 2 however. Which is something.

Follow-up reader question

What did everyone think about Nationals manager Matt Williams pulling Jordan Zimmermann on Saturday night? Obviously, it’s easy to second guess now, but it’s not an indefensible move. I was against it, but that’s mainly because I was liveblogging the last time Drew Storen came out of the Nationals bullpen in the postseason (vs Cardinals Devil Magic) and the horrifying memories just kept coming back and, well, that’s not really a way to manage a pitching staff.

Predictions

Okay who do you have? I’m going with the Giants this afternoon, as much as I want to see a longer series here. I just trust Madison Bumgarner that much, and it doesn’t hurt that there’s a much bigger home field advantage in San Francisco than in Washington D.C. I blame Dan Snyder.

Your thoughts? Email them to Hunter.Felt@theguardian.com or tweet @HunterFelt. We’ll use them here.

San Francisco Giants starting lineup

1. Gregor Blanco, CF
2. Joe Panik, 2B
3. Buster Posey, C
4. Pablo Sandoval, 3B
5. Hunter Pence, RF
6. Brandon Belt, 1B
7. Brandon Crawford, SS
8. Travis Ishikawa, LF
9. Madison Bumgarner, P

Washington Nationals starting lineup

1. Denard Span, CF
2. Anthony Rendon, 3B
3. Jayson Werth, RF
4. Adam LaRoche, 1B
5. Ian Desmond, SS
6. Bryce Harper, SS
7. Wilson Ramos, C
8. Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B
9. Doug Fister, P

The other NLDS

The other National League Division Series would be the one featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St Louis Cardinals, who will be playing Game 3 tonight at 9:07pm EST. That series is tied 1-1, so not everything in the National League will be settled today no matter what happens in our game. (Note: The St Louis Cardinals will win, they always do, it’s Cardinals Devil Magic and there’s nothing anybody but the Red Sox can do about it.)

And we already have our first Twin Peaks comparisons today. I agree with all of this:

Kirk Gibson is the Leland Palmer of baseball: possessed by the Unwritten Rules he murdered his precious Arizona Diamondbacks team.