Chicago company sponsors D.C. Metro to keep trains running late for Game 5

Nationals fans who rely on the train to get to and from games are getting some good news.

Washington D.C. Metro lines have been extended one hour on Thursday for Game 5 against the Chicago Cubs. The news comes after a third-party sponsor stepped up to pay the $100,000 deposit to maintain public transit service. The Nationals had previously refused to pay to keep the trains running, instead telling fans to use other modes of transportation, such as biking, for a game that starts at 8:08 p.m. ET.

Exelon — the parent company of D.C. energy provider Pepco — will foot the bill to allow baseball fans to use the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority until 12:48 p.m., an hour later than the last train was scheduled to leave the metro stop at Nationals Park.

The deal came together after Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser contacted Exelon to help ensure public transportation remained an option for fans leaving Game 5 before 1 a.m.

The Nationals, as they’ve done in the past, would not commit to paying a $100,000 per hour deposit to keep Metro running late.

The best part about all of this — other than Nationals fans being able to get home without paying a fortune in taxi or ride-sharing fees — is that Exelon is based in Chicago. So if you’re a Nationals fan who is ready to troll Cubs fans in town, make sure to thank them first.

Well, so long as the game doesn’t stretch too early into Friday morning.

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Blake Schuster is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at blakeschuster@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Schustee

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