Noah Spirek | @NoahSpirek | June 21, 2024
On Friday, the Nationals announced their arrival in Denver with authority, pounding out a season-high 19 hits to defeat the Rockies 11-5.
Table of Contents
Game Story
After two scoreless innings from both sides, the Nationals broke the ice with a five-run third inning. Jacob Young started the rally with his ninth double of the year, followed by Lane Thomas‘s one-out single to left field, which scored Young. Despite a flyout from Jesse Winker, leaving Thomas as the sole baserunner with two outs, the inning was far from over.
Eddie Rosario smacked a run-scoring double, and after Joey Meneses walked, Luis García Jr. launched a three-run homer, blowing the game wide open and putting the Nationals ahead 5-0.
The Rockies answered with one in the bottom of the 3rd via Ezequiel Tovar‘s 12th home run of the season. The young 22-year-old continues to shine bright for Colorado.
The Nationals extended their lead by piling on four more runs in the 4th. Drew Millas led off the frame with his first homer of the year, a ball that traveled 428 feet to center field. Two more Washington singles set up a Lane Thomas 2-RBI double, ballooning the lead to 8-1. Thomas would eventually score on an Eddie Rosario sacrifice fly.
Colorado responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning rooting from a pair of long balls. Nolan Jones launched his first Coors Field homer of the season, a 425-foot no-doubter to right field.
The next batter, Sean Bouchard, reached on an error, setting up a Hunter Goodman two-run blast. The homer was Goodman’s sixth of the year and fourth on this homestand, and it cut the Nationals lead to 9-4.
The Rockies drew a bit closer in the 5th with a sacrifice fly from Sean Bouchard, which scored Michael Toglia, who had singled. Heading into the 6th, it was 9-5 Washington.
The Nationals regained momentum with two runs in the top of the 6th inning. Jacob Young led off with his third hit of the night, a double, and was promptly driven in by a CJ Abrams RBI double. Lane Thomas then tripled, scoring Abrams and extending Washington’s lead to a comfortable 11-5.
The final three innings of Friday’s game did not produce any runs, and the Nationals took the opening game of the series, 11-5.
Quotes
Manager Bud Black on Colorado starter Dakota Hudson: “With Dakota, there were multiple misses up or on the wrong side of the plate. The backbreaker was the (Luis García) three-run homer. He tried to throw that breaking ball backdoor to the lefty and missed down and in, right into his wheelhouse… I think the nine runs were more of a function of missed location and he wasn’t crisp enough with the fastball.”
Dakota Hudson on his start: “Too many balls over the middle… I didn’t command the ball. It wasn’t just about me being over the middle. I wasn’t up and I wasn’t down; I was kind of across the thigh… It’s control versus command. I was controlling the zone for the most part but it’s about commanding the zone, and I feel like where I need to be a bit more stubborn trying to get the ball to the corner.”
Nolan Jones on his production since his return: “Since I’ve been back, I’ve been hitting some singles, but it felt really good to catch one out in front… Putting the ball in play hard at any point is obviously a good thing, and it’s a confidence builder… My swing has been feeling really good and I am seeing the ball well. And that’s all I can ask for.”
Notes
As of the conclusion of Friday’s game, Rockies SS Ezequiel Tovar led all NL shortstops in hits (89), total bases (152) and extra-base hits (37).
The Rockies lost their 50th game of the season in their 76th game of the year (26-50), tied for the quickest they’ve reached 50 losses in franchise history with 1993 and 2005.
The Nationals logged 19 hits, their most since 2022 when they had 20 hits in a game. They recorded 10 extra-base hits in the game, their most since 2021.
What’s Next for the Colorado Rockies?
On Tuesday, the Nationals and Rockies will play the middle game of their three-game series. Probable starters are LHP Mitchell Parker (5-3, 3.06 ERA) for Washington and RHP Cal Quantrill (6-5, 3.43 ERA) for Colorado. First pitch is set for 7:10 MT.
Story by Noah Spirek.
ICYMI: Prospect Profile: Andy Perez.
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