COORS FIELD, DENVER, NOT EARTH – They say your attitude determines your latitude, well the Natattitude determined the Altitude. The Nationals washed the Rockies 11-4 in an offensive drubbing from D.C.
Bryce Harper is now 17-for-his-last-30 with nine extra-base hits. He was last week’s NL Player of the Week and he’s on pace to repeat as the 24-year-old continues his torrid start to 2017. He had four hits and a walk in the contest, scoring twice. Daniel Murphy stayed hot with a three-run shot and Ryan Zimmerman had three hits with three RBI including a home run.
Tyler ‘home-road-splits’ Chatwood struggled once more at Coors Field, upping his career ERA to 5.07 in 199 innings pitched in his normal home ballpark. He was let off the hook after five innings on Tuesday but not before Washington had five runs on eight hits and three walks.
For the second straight game, the Colorado Rockies starting pitcher came to regret a second-inning walk to his counterpart. Chatwood issued the free pass to Roark before Adam Eaton drove in a pair of runs with a single to right field. And for the second straight night, the Rockies never fully recovered.
Where last night saw the Rockies on the ropes and able to hop off twice before losing in nine rounds, the Nationals put the Rockies on the ropes early and knocked ’em out. The Nationals, now the National League’s most winning team, a title they shared with the Rockies, are now 15-6.
Washington added three in the fifth on a pair of home runs from Trea Turner, who is doing his best Jack Kerouac impression and rediscovering himself in Denver, and Zimmerman who is doing his best Babe Ruth impression by hammering eight home runs so far in the month of April. Zimmerman’s shot pretty much ended Chatwood’s night. Turner followed up his Tuesday night cycle with three hits, including a home run and a double.
The Rockies got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the fifth after three straight walks to Cristhian Adames, Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu, the last of which brought in a run. Nolan Arenado grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring in another but Carlos Gonzalez struck out with runners at first and third to end the threat.
The Nats added four more in the seventh all off of Chris Rusin and two more, one earned off of Chad Qualls in the eighth.
The Rockies added two runs in eighth with a Mark Reynolds double and Gerardo Parra single.
Charlie Blackmon extended his hit streak to 11 games. Qualls made his season debut.
The Rockies finish their seven-game homestand and four-game set with the Nationals on Thursday at 1:10.
