Washington Nationals 13-7 over Colorado Rockies for 3rd-straight win overall...

Sanchez vs the Rockies:

Aaron Sanchez struggled when he faced the Colorado Rockies on the road in Coors Field back on May 5th, giving up six hits, two walks, and seven runs, six earned in 4 ¹⁄₃ innings.

Going up against the Rockies again tonight in Nationals Park, however, Washington’s 29-year-old starter was coming off his best outing since coming up from Triple-A in late April.

Sanchez held the Milwaukee Brewers to two runs on seven hits and two walks in an 8-2 win on the road in American Family Field.

Sanchez fell behind early this afternoon, however, giving up back-to-back, one-out singles by Yonathan Daza and Charlie Blackmon in front of C.J. Cron, who hit a an 0-1 curve out to left field for a three-run blast and a 3-0 Rockies’ lead after one.

It was 5-3 in the Nationals’ favor when Sanchez came back out and gave up back-to-back hits and a run, with Randal Grichuk singling over second, and scoring on a double to left-center by José Iglesias, 5-4.

Sanchez came out for the third with an 8-4 lead, and retired the Rockies in order in a 13-pitch frame, but he gave up back-to-back singles to start the top of the fourth, with both Brendan Rodgers and Randal Grichuk getting on. Rodgers took third on a fly to center by José Iglesias, and he scored on a sac fly to right by Elias Díaz, 8-5, and 8-6 on a two-out single to center field by Connor Joe ended the Nats’ starter’s outing...

Aaron Sanchez’s Line: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 BB, 3 Ks, 1 HR, 75 P, 51 S, 3/3 GO/FO.

Gomber in D.C.:

One of five players acquired from St. Louis in the 5-for-1 trade which sent Nolan Arenado to the Cards in 2021, Rockies’ left-hander Austin Gomber, 28, held the Nationals to two runs in 6 ²⁄₃ IP when he faced the club for the first time this season back on May 4th in Coors Field, giving up seven hits (one a home run by Lane Thomas) and one walk in a 94-pitch outing in a 5-2 win.

The left-hander was winless in three outings heading into tonight’s start in Nationals Park, however, with a 4.91 ERA, a 5.19 FIP, and a .246/.296/.431 line against in 18 ¹⁄₃ IP over that stretch.

Going up against the Nationals again, Gomber took the mound with a 3-0 lead, courtesy of a three-run home run by C.J. Cron in the top of the first, and gave up a leadoff single to left by César Hernández and a one-out, ground-rule double to the left-center gap by Juan Soto that bounced into the left field bullpen and set Nelson Cruz up with an RBI opportunity the veteran slugger cashed in with a two-run single to center field, 3-2.

Josh Bell singled as well, sending a 1-0 changeup into left, and Riley Adams walked with two out to load the bases for Victor Robles, who got to a full count and lined a two-run single to left to put the Nationals on top, 4-3. Alcides Escobar’s single over short on an 0-2 fastball up high made it five runs in the first, 5-3.

It was a 5-4 game when Gomber came out for the second, but leadoff and one-out walks to Lane Thomas and Nelson Cruz, respectively, and a base-loading single by Josh Bell ended things for the Rockies’ starter 59 pitches into the game, and one out into the second...

Austin Gomber’s Line: 1.1 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 59 P, 33 S, 0/2 GO/FO.

Bullpen Action:

Ashton Goudeau inherited a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the bottom of the second, and gave up a two-run double to left field by Maikel Franco, who lined a hanging curveball to left field to make it 7-4.

Victor Robles connected for another RBI hit, after fouling off a 3-0 fastball, taking a 93 MPH heater to left field to drive Josh Bell in, and make it 8-4 Nats two innings into the first of two today in D.C.

Erasmo Ramírez took over for the Nationals with a runner on first and two out in the Rockies’ half of the fourth, with an 8-6 lead, and gave a single to center by Yonanthan Daza, and then an RBI single by Charlie Blackmon, 8-7.

Goudeau gave up leadoff and one-out walks to Josh Bell and Riley Adams, and threw a wild pitch that moved both runners up in front of Victor Robles, who hit a hanging 1-2 curve out to left field for a three-run shot, his first of the season, and an 11-8 Nationals’ lead after four.

Ramírez gave up a two-out walk to Yonathan Daza in the top of the sixth, and Carl Edwards, Jr. took over and gave up a single by Charlie Blackmon before he got out No. 3 to keep it at 11-7 in the Nationals’ favor after 5 1/2.

Victor Robles was 3 for 3 with a HBP, reaching base in all four plate appearances on the day after he took one to the elbow in the home-half of the sixth, but both Robles and shortstop Alcides Escobar were stranded after Escobar doubled with two down in the inning, still 11-7.

Edwards, Jr. retired the side in order in the top of the seventh, in what was actually just the second clean frame for either team in today’s game.

Maikel Franco doubled off Rockies’ righty Robert Stephenson with one out in the bottom of the eighth, and scored on a two-run shot to left by Riley Adams, whose 3rd of the ‘22 made it 13-7 Nationals.

Nationals now 17-30