Matheny said once again Rosenthal had difficulty maintaining traction on the mound when mud caked on the bottom of his cleats and caused him to slide. Clumpgate aside, Rosenthal has been dogged by walks in 2014, and he allowed more first batters to reach than any other closer, while also logging a higher pitch-count workload than any other closer. He allowed 43 of the 72 first batters he faced to reach, and this summer his walk-rate more than doubled, 2.4 in 2013 to 5.4.

Later in the season and this postseason, Matheny has been more willing to warm up relievers when Rosenthal encounters trouble. He has been more aggressive in the postseason with the move, as he was in Game 2 with Maness and Marco Gonzales both getting ready.

“He had tough innings but figures (it) out,” Matheny said. “He’s anxious to get back out there.”

WAINWRIGHT SEEKS TIMING

With an eye on his assigned start for Game 5 of this series, Adam Wainwright had a more aggressive bullpen session Monday at AT&T Park than he’s had in more than a month. Wainwright had coaches stand in to act as batters, and he threw with a greater intensity as he worked to find the delivery that escaped him in Game 1 of the NLCS.