A game that started as a pitcher’s duel devolved into a crushing loss as the Colorado Rockies dropped the series finale 8-0 to the Washington Nationals. The Rockies are now 3-11 with a -29 run differential in rubber matches and have also suffered their fourth shutout of the season.
Another day at the office for Hughes
There has been a lot to be impressed about when Gabriel Hughes has taken the mound this season, and he didn’t disappoint once again. Making his third start of the season, Hughes faced a tough Nationals lineup full of left-handed
bats.
The day started off well for him as he retired the side in order in the first inning, including gathering a pair of strikeouts. The Nationals got their first two hits to start the second inning as CJ Abrams poked a ball up the middle and Dylan Crews blooped a ball to center field that fell for a hit. Unfazed, Hughes retired the next three batters to end the inning.
He returned with another 1-2-3 third inning, gathering his fourth strikeout of the day. The fourth inning is when he hit a bit of a snag in efficiency. Hughes had averaged about 15 pitches per inning to that point, but the Nationals ran up his pitch count with an abundance of foul balls while collecting a single and a walk. Still, he escaped without any damage to keep the game scoreless.
The seal was finally broken in the top of the fifth inning when Jorbit Vivas hit a hanging curveball to right field that banged off the out-of-town scoreboard for a triple. Hughes retired the next batter for the first out of the inning, but James Wood then hit a changeup to deep center field for a sacrifice fly and give the Nationals a 1-0 lead.
Hughes gave up a leadoff single in the sixth inning, prompting his removal with Abrams stepping up to the plate. He ended up going five innings, allowing just the one run on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk. He continued to pound the zone, throwing 60 of his 88 pitches for a strike. The Nationals were mostly taking defensive swings as Hughes’ cut fastball continued to look good, and his curveball was working as well. He kept pace with Cade Cavalli pitch for pitch to give the Rockies a chance to win.
“Gabe’s pitching great,” manager Warren Schaeffer said. “He gave us a chance to win.”
“What worked today was fastball, curveball, changeup,” Hughes said after the game. “But I think the biggest thing was attacking the zone.”
Trouble with Cavalli
Speaking of Cavalli, he baffled the Rockies offense as they couldn’t figure out a way to break through against him.
In the second inning, Kyle Karros had a single with one out and moved up to second base when the ball was bobbled in left field. Unfortunately, Willi Castro bounced into a fielder’s choice that stranded Karros between second and third for the second out of the inning. Edouard Julien then struck out to end the threat with a runner on second.
In the third inning, Jake McCarthy had a one-out double but was stranded after Mickey Moniak flew out and Hunter Goodman struck out. TJ Rumfield then led off the fourth inning with a double. However, Cavalli struck out Cole Carrigg, issued a walk to Karros, and struck out both Castro and Julien to end the inning.
Goodman got a leadoff single in the sixth, but that’s all the Rockies were able to muster against Cavalli as he tossed six shutout innings, allowing just four hits while striking out eight against two walks.
Late game bullpen mess
After Brennan Bernardino navigated the sixth inning for the Rockies to keep the game 1-0, things went off the rails for the Rockies in the seventh inning.
Jimmy Herget entered the game and struggled with his command. Daylen Lile drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a ground ball from Keibert Ruiz. Herget then issued a walk to Vivas to put runners on first and second. Nasim Nuñez hit a sharp ground ball to left field that scored one run, but Mickey Moniak misplayed the ball, allowing a second run to score and putting Nuñez on second.
With the Rockies now trailing 3-0, Herget managed to get Wood to line out but couldn’t say the same of Luis Garcia Jr., who blasted a hanging sweeper to center field for a two-run homer. The Rockies turned to Zach Agnos out of the bullpen, and the messy inning continued.
Agnos surrendered back-to-back hits to José Tena and Abrams. Then, Crews hit a ball into center field to drive in a run. However, multiple throwing errors allowed a second run to score and made it possible for Crews to end up at third base and give the Nationals a 7-0 lead before Agnos retired Lile to end the inning.
Matters didn’t necessarily improve in the eighth inning for Agnos as he surrendered another run on three straight hits to give the Nationals an 8-0 lead before getting a crucial double play and a ground out.
He then stayed out there for the ninth and, although he gave up a double and hit a batter, he prevented any further damage.
“Sloppy,” Schaeffer said of the Rockies defensive efforts.
RIP with RISP
The Rockies offense as a whole struggled as they had just six hits compared to Washington’s 14. Between facing Cavalli and the Nationals bullpen, the Rockies struck out 10 times with four walks and went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The Nationals, on the other hand, went 5-for-17 with RISP and were led by Abrams four-hit day.
Up next
The Rockies will head to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers for a three-game series. Tomoyuki Sugano (9-4, 4.76 ERA) will make the start for the Rockies while left-hander Shane Drohan (5-3, 3.20 ERA) will start for the Brewers.
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