Trea Turner touches 'em all, cycles as Nats reduce Rox 15-12

DENVER – It was cold enough to affect the number of layers I wore (four) so I assume it was cold enough to effect the players. Washington, now winners of eight-of-nine got back into the win column cooling Colorado’s four-game heater 15-12.

It was one of those wild Coors games.

Trea Turner cycled in the contest, the second at Coors Field this month, Wil Myers cycled last home-stand. Turner singled in the first, doubled and drove in two in the second, homered in the sixth knocking in two more runs and finally, he tripled to complete the four-piece while driving in three more. On the evening he went four-for-six and he drove in a career-high seven FRBI.

German Marquez made his season debut with the Rockies and his fourth big league start and got rocked. In four innings of work, he gave up eight earned runs on nine hits and three walks. He was on a 90-pitch pitch count although he probably wouldn’t have lasted much longer. He struggled to get out of innings and it cost him. Where the Rockies took advantage of the Nationals on Monday was with two outs, the Nats hit their opponents right back.

Daniel Murphy co-stared to Turner for D.C. driving in a career-high five as he went three-for-five at the dish. Bryce Harper played a supporting role, staying hotter than anything imaginable at the cold Coors night, going two-for-four with two walks, now 13-for-his-last-25.

The Nats got to Marquez early and often, scoring a road team tacos (seven) in just two innings. The Rockies answered with a Carlos Gonzalez solo shot in the second. However, back in the first inning Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu struck balls well that hung up in the cold night air.

The third was a clean one for Marquez but he got roughed up and knocked out in the fourth as the Nats plated their eighth. The Rockies took advantage of a leadoff walk to cut it back to 8-2. A clean inning of work from Jordan Lyles gave the Rockies their best shot at a comeback. They cut it to 8-5 in the fifth, knocking Joe Ross out but the Rockies couldn’t all the way off the ropes.

The Nationals tacked on tacos (seven) more in the sixth and seventh, getting to Jordan Lyles and Scott Oberg. And the score was set at 15-7 as Bud Black got CarGo and Nolan Arenado off their feet early.

But it was far from over. The Rockies tagged back with six themselves in their seventh and eighth but the spots which were vacated by Arenado and Gonzalez ended up killing their eighth inning rally. This left Bud Black in a strange spot for defense for the ninth. Tony Wolters moved to third for the first time in his pro career, Pat Valakia left for the first time as a pro, Alexi Amarista, an infielder, remained in right while Gerardo Parra moved to first.

LeMahieu went three-for-five so too did Blackmon as the pair combined for four runs driven in, Chuck hit a home run. Wolters himself stayed hot going two-for-five as the Rockies scored more than six for the fifth straight game.