Game 2: New York - Zack Wheeler (11-10, 3.49) Washington - Gio Gonzalez (9-10, 3.74)

(SportsNetwork.com) - So much for resting up for the postseason.

After weather washed out Wednesday night's game with New York, the Washington Nationals will host the Mets for a split doubleheader on Thursday to conclude a three-game series.

In a tight race with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the top record in the National League, the Nationals need to finish out this series with the Mets as they are batting for home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.

What makes these two games tough is the fact that the Nationals were already scheduled to play a split doubleheader on Friday with the Miami Marlins, so the Nats' bench players figure to see a lot of action over the next two days.

"It's not ideal, but we can't do much about the weather," manager Matt Williams told Washington's website. "The weather is pretty bad tonight. It looks like it's not getting out of here before tomorrow morning. Rather than wait around all night and get out of here late, we decided to play two tomorrow. We are not the only team that's had to play a doubleheader this year."

Even with the unexpected night off, the NL East-winning Nationals still secured home-field advantage for the upcoming National League Division Series after the St. Louis Cardinals lost to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.

Washington will send out right-hander Blake Treinen for the first game against New York's Dillon Gee, who was set to start last night's contest.

Treinen will make his first appearance since a no-decision against Atlanta last Wednesday. He did not factor into a 3-1 loss as he hurled five innings of scoreless baseball, scattering three hits and a walk.

The 26-year-old is 2-3 with a 1.94 earned run average in 14 games this year with six starts, having allowed 10 earned runs over 46 1/3 innings.

He faced the Mets for the first time in his career on Aug. 5, tossing two innings of relief and yielding a run on three hits.

Gee, meanwhile, is 7-8 with a 3.88 ERA and has lost two of his last three starts, including last Wednesday's 4-3 setback to Miami. He allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.

"His numbers are dictated by the fact that he has just not commanded the baseball like he knows how," said Mets manager Terry Collins.

Gee has allowed three or more runs five times in the last seven tries. He has pitched well in 15 career starts against the Nationals, going 8-4 with a 3.51 ERA, but is only 2-4 in eight road starts. However, Gee is 4-1 with a 3.57 ERA in six career starts at Nationals Park.

Gio Gonzalez was set to start on Wednesday for the Nationals and will pitch Game 2 tonight.

Gonzalez has a 9-10 record with a 3.74 ERA and has won three of his past four trips to the hill, including Thursday's 6-2 win at Miami in which the lefty limited the hosts to a pair of runs in seven innings.

Gonzalez, who is 4-3 in 12 home starts, will make his 13th career start against the rival Mets and has a 6-4 mark to go along with a 3.44 ERA over the first 12 outings. Gonzalez has struggled to a 1-3 mark and a 5.40 ERA in four starts against New York this season.

New York counters with 24-year-old Zack Wheeler, who will try to end his struggles versus the Nationals.

Wheeler was rocked for six runs over four innings in a loss to Washington on Sept. 13, one that dropped him to 2-5 with a 5.05 ERA in seven starts in this matchup.

The right-hander did bounce back with six scoreless innings of five-hit ball to beat Atlanta on Friday, striking out seven.

"I got into a lot of deep counts, but I did make the pitches when I had to," Wheeler said after improving to 11-10 with a 3.49 ERA on the season.

Washington has dominated the Mets this season to the tune of 14-3.