Ross Detwiler struck out two, including Colorado Rockies' slugger Carlos Gonzalez with a 2-2 sinker down low in the zone, on the way to a 14-pitch, 1-2-3 top of the first inning in the series finale of the four-game long-weekend set in Washington, D.C.'s Nationals Park. Rockies' lefty Jorge De La Rosa walked two and put three runners on when he took the mound in the Nationals' half of the inning, but a pop to first baseman Michael Cuddyer off Ian Desmond's bat ended an 18-pitch bottom of the first for the visiting starter, who had a 1-0 lead to work with five pitches later...
Michael Cuddyer, 34, had a 20-game hit streak going heading into to today's Sunday matinee, and he was 3 for 12 with one hit in each of the first three games of Colorado's four-game stay in the nation's capital before he took a 3-1 fastball from Detwiler the other way for a leadoff home run that cleared the out-of-town scoreboard in right field. Three quick outs later, it ended up being an 11-pitch second by the Nationals' starter, but it was 1-0 Rockies on Cuddyer's 11th home run. 25 pitches in two innings for Det.
Steve Lombardozzi singled on a bunt to Nolan Arenado at third, reaching safely when Nolan Arenado threw one by first and taking second on the error on the play, but Lombardozzi was stranded there when Ross Detwiler took a called strike three on a 1-2 curve from Jorge De La Rosa for the final out of the Nats' second. 1-0 Colorado.
Rockies' shortstop Josh Rutledge took a 1-1 fastball to left for a leadoff single off Ross Detwiler in the top of the third. One out later, a walk to Dexter Fowler put two runners on for Nat-killer DJ LeMahieu, who entered play today 10 for 22 in his career against Washington, and improved to 11 for 23 with an RBI single through short that made it 2-0 Colorado. Michael Cuddyer stepped in with runners on the corners and two down and hit a full-count slider from Detwiler back up the middle to drive in another run and make it 3-0. Wilin Rosario sent a bloop single to center on a 1-2 slider, and it fell in for another hit and drove in another run as the Rockies went up 4-0 after two and a half. 29-pitch inning for Detwiler, 54 total after three.
Jorge De La Rosa retired the Nats in order in the third after his teammates gave him a four-run lead to work with, 37 overall after four innings for the left-hander in the series finale. Ross Detwiler allowed just three home runs through 56 1/3 innings pitched before this afternoon's start. After Nolan Arenado hit a 1-2 heater out to left and 15 rows deep into the outfield stands, Detwiler had allowed two home runs today in just 3.0 innings of work this afternoon. 5-0 Rockies. Detwiler gave up three more singles to load the bases for Michael Cuddyer with two down, and Davey Johnson came out to get his left-hander, replacing him with reliever Craig Stammen... who gave up a broken-bat, two-run single to left that made it 7-0 Rockies after three and a half in D.C.
Jayson Werth was 2 for 2 today after singling to start the fourth, but he was lifted for a pinch runner when he was clearly uncomfortable at first base. No word on the injury as of 3:34 pm EDT. Roger Bernadina took over at first and went around to third when Ian Desmond took a 2-2 splitter from Jorge De La Rosa to left for his 19th double of 2013. Chris Marrero's groundout to the right side brought Bernadina in and a sac fly from Kurt Suzuki scored Desmond to make it a 7-2 game after four innings in Nationals Park.
Wilin Rosario singled for the Rockies' 12th hit of the day in the first at bat of the fifth, but he was doubled up at first when Jordan Pacheco lined out to short and Ian Desmond made a strong snap throw to Chris Marrero to complete the 6-3 putout. Nolan Arenado singled with two down for hit no.13, but Josh Rutledge flew to left to end the top of the ffifth. Still 7-2 Rockies. Anthony Rendon took a full-count fastball inside to left for a one-out double in the bottom of the inning, and Jorge De LaRosa walked Ryan Zimmerman on four pitches in the next at bat. Roger Bernadina bunted into a force at second, but arrived safely at first. Ian Desmond stepped in with two on and two out, worked the count full and struck out to end the fifth on a fastball outside. 7-2 Rockies.
Craig Stammen retired the Rockies in order in a 10-pitch top of the sixth. The right-hander's relief outing ended two outs later when Chad Tracy stepped in as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the sixth with Chris Marrero at second after a hard-hit single to left and a wild pitch, but Tracy K'd swinging to end the inning with Jorge De La Rosa up to 95 pitches.
Ian Krol continued the hot start to his MLB career with a 10-pitch, 2 K inning of work against the Rockies which saw him strike both Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer out in a quick, 1-2-3 frame. Right-hander Rob Scahill took over on the mound for the Rockies. Anthony Rendon was 2 for 3 today after singling with one down in the Nationals' seventh. A wild pitch moved him to second, but Ryan Zimmerman flew to center for out no.2. Roger Bernadina lined an opposite field single to left to move Rendon to third. Ian Desmond walked to load the bases for Chris Marrero, and the Nats' first baseman flew to right to end the seventh. 7-2 Rockies.
Ian Krol needed just nine pitches to retire the side in order in the top of the eighth.
Steve Lombardozzi hit one straight down, off the plate and Rockies' right-hander Matt Belisle misplayed the resultant pop into Lombardozzi's third hit of the game in four at bats. Denard Span sent Lombardozzi from first-to-third™ with a single off Jordan Pacheco's glove and into right. Jeff Kobernus walked to load the bases for Anthony Rendon. The Nats' second baseman went down 0-2 quickly, spit on a 1-2 curve, but K'd on a check-swing strike three on a slider outside. Ryan Zimmerman sent a grounder back up the middle, but Josh Rutledge got to it... but couldn't come up with it. Two runs score. 7-4 Rockies. Roger Bernadina stepped in as the tying run. The Rockies went to their pen for left-hander Rex Brothers, so Davey Johnson countered with right-hander Jhonatan Solano, who was first-pitch swinging and lined a double to the left-center gap. Two runs score, 7-6 Rockies. Ian Desmond? K'd swinging on an 0-2 slider 7-6 Colorado after eight.
Fernando Abad got Tyler Colvin swinging with a sweeping 0-2 curve outside for out no.1 of the ninth. Dexter Fowler singled with one down, but was forced out at second on a DJ LeMahieu groundout. A swinging K from Rex Brothers ended the top of the ninth, but the left-hander retook the mound in the bottom of the inning and retired the Nationals in order to end the game. 7-6 final. Rockies earn a split of the four-game set.
Nationals now 37-38