Photo by Tony DeFilippo.

Yesterday 13-inning 5-4 Nats win over the Atlanta Braves was exciting, but the post-game commute home wasn’t. According to multiple tweets from baseball-goers, plenty of Nats fans were frustrated that Metro closed at midnight as usual instead of extending its hours to accommodate the late-night game.

According to Metro, though, the responsibility lies with the team, not with the transit agency. Keeping the rail system open for an additional hour before its usual opening time or after its usual closing time costs $29,500 an hour; Race for the Cure and the Washington Capitals, for example, have standing agreements with Metro for extended hours of operation during their events. The Nats, on the other hand, don’t. (The Nats have paid Metro to stay open during single games that start later than usual, though.)

“Keeping the system open is not just a matter of running a few extra trains through Navy Yard,” said Caroline Lukas, a Metro spokeswoman, in an email. “You have to keep all 86 stations open and keep trains running on all five lines—serving every station. That’s an employee count in the hundreds. That said, we would be pleased to provide additional service for the Nats if there is interest on their part to put an agreement in place.”

According to those that attended the game, Metro’s impending closing was announced in the stadium. Still, the Post’s Dan Steinberg seems to agree that the Nats should pony up the money for keeping Metro open: “We have to be nearing the point in the season where the Nats pony up $$$ to keep Metro open later in case of rain/extra innings,” he tweeted.