Washington Nationals’ win streak snapped in 8-4 loss to Colorado Rockies in Coors Field

Jacob Turner, taken eight spots after Stephen Strasburg in the 2009 Draft, filled in for the No. 1 overall pick of the ‘09 class in the Washington Nationals’ series opener with the Colorado Rockies tonight in Coors Field.

Turner performed admirably, turning in the 12th straight quality start in what ended up a 8-4 loss for the Nationals when Enny Romero gave up a two-out, two-run home run by Charlie Blackmon that put the Rox up in the bottom of the seventh and they added three runs in the eighth.

Turner held the Rockies to one run on four hits through five before the Nationals struck with Trea Turner doubling and scoring on an Adam Eaton triple off Rockies’ left-hander Tyler Anderson, who gave up an RBI single by Anthony Rendon and a two-run home run to center by Ryan Zimmerman before he was lifted with the score 4-1 in the Nationals’ favor in the sixth.

Nolan Arenado tripled and Mark Reynolds hit a two-out, two-run home run in the sixth, however, as the Rockies made it a one-run game, 4-3.

Blackmon’s blast in the seventh put Colorado on top for good as they took the first of four in Coors Field, 8-4 final.

Nationals now 13-6

Here’s how it happened:

• Carlos Gonzalez, Trevor Story and Rockies’ catcher Tony Wolters connected for singles off Jacob Turner in the bottom of the second, with Wolters’ two-out opposite field hit driving CarGo in two outs after the outfielder led the inning off with a shift-beating ground ball to right. 1-0 Rockies early.

• Jacob Turner gave up a run early, but after Wolters’ RBI single in the second, the 25-year-old righty retired nine straight before the Rockies’ backstop stepped in and hit a single to right with one down in the fifth. He was stranded two outs later, on a sharp liner to first by Charlie Blackmon.

• Trea Turner connected on a 1-1 fastball in the sixth, lining a one-out double to left-center field for the Nationals’ third hit off Tyler Anderson, and Adam Eaton followed with the fourth hit of the game, driving Turner in with an RBI triple to center on an 0-2 pitch from the Rockies’ lefty.

Anthony Rendon followed Eaton with an opposite field single, throwing his bat at a 3-1 change outside and lining it to right to put the Nationals ahead, 2-1.

• Ryan Zimmerman stepped in next and hit his seventh blast of the season, connecting on a 93 mph 1-1 fastball and putting it out to center over a leaping Charlie Blackmon for a two-run blast that made it 4-1 Nats. #TKCHZ

• Nolan Arenado tripled with one down in the bottom of the sixth, however, and two outs later, he scored on a two-run home run to left by Mark Reynolds, who destroyed a 2-1 fastball from Turner and made it a one-run game, 4-3 Nats.

• Jacob Turner ‘s Line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 Ks, 1 HR, 84 P, 59 S, 2/4 GO/FO.

• Enny Romero took over on the mound for the Nationals in the Rockies’ half of the seventh and retired the first two batters he faced, but Pat Valaika hit a pinch hit double to left and Charlie Blackmon followed with a two-out, two-run home run to right on an 87 mph 0-1 slider that ended up in the second deck in right field. 5-4 Rockies.

• Blake Treinen gave up back-to-back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the eighth as the Rox loaded the bases with no one out and a shallow fly to right by Trevor Story drove the Rockies’ sixth run, 6-4. Tony Wolters connected for the fifth straight hit, 7-4.

• Another run scored on a one-out, bases-loaded grounder to second off Charlie Blackmon’s bat, when the Nats couldn’t turn a double play. 8-4.

NATIONALS PREGAME NOTES:

• In today’s “Fun with Arbitrary End Points” segment: Colorado holds a 48-33 advantage in their all-time series with Washington, though the Nationals are 14-11 against the Rockies... since 2013.
• Colorado was 4-2 against Washington last season, the Rockies’ first winning season against the Nationals since 2012.
• Daniel Murphy connected for a grand slam in the finale with the Mets, and he’s now 34 for 88 career (.386 AVG) with six doubles and eight home runs in 22 games against New York since joining the Nationals.
• A win tonight would give the Nationals their longest win streak in the Dusty Baker era after they won seven-straight last April 10-16th.
• The Rockies, like the Nationals, are coming off a series sweep, taking three-straight from the San Francisco Giants in Coors Field for the first time since 2002.
• Washington’s starters have strung together 11 consecutive quality starts. Jacob Turner will try to continue that streak tonight. [ed. note - “He made it 12-straight.”]
• Turner was (0-2) with a 5.09 ERA, in three career starts vs the Rockies heading into tonight’s outing.
• The Nationals start their four-game set in Coors Field leading the majors in AVG (.278), OBP (.345), OPS (.793) and doubles (tied, 40).

Nationals now 13-6