In a season-high 19 hits, 11-5 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night, the Washington Nationals were led by a three-run home run by Luis Garcia Jr., three hits by Drew Millas, and five runs in the third inning. In a game where both sides managed to collect 30 hits, the Rockies’ Ezequiel Tovar, Hunter Goodman, and Nolan Jones all hit home runs.
Both Jacob Young and CJ Abrams contributed to the scoring with three hits apiece. On the first pitch of the game, from Dakota Hudson (2-10) Abrams hit his first of two doubles, extending his career-best hitting streak to twelve games. A home run was needed by Lane Thomas to complete the cycle. Keep your eye on the ball. Nationals manager Dave Martinez claimed his team hit every pitch. “Everyone chipped in offensively. It was a success. This offensive outburst after a lackluster series loss to the Diamondbacks this week, in which they allowed five runs in dropping two of three games.
Thomas admitted, “You know, sometimes they don’t fall,” despite the team’s recent hot streak at home. “Today is the kind of day that can break you out, get you some hits, and get everyone moving in the same direction again.” Along with his 12th home run of the season, Tovar finished with three hits, although the Rockies’ June record dropped to 5–15. With their 26-50 record, Colorado also reached another questionable milestone with their 50th loss of the season.
As the Nationals took a 5-1 lead into the top of the fourth, Millas hit a home run off of Hudson, setting off a four-run surge for the team. A two-run double by Thomas and a sacrifice fly by Eddie Rosario scored runs off of reliever Geoff Hartlieb.
During a three-run surge in the bottom of the fourth, Jones and Goodman each hit home runs, and Colorado added another score on Sean Bouchard’s sacrifice fly. Abrams doubled in the first run of the sixth inning, and Thomas tripled in an RBI for the Nationals.
In his tenth loss of the season, Hudson led the National League in innings pitched. He gave up eight runs on eleven hits. Bud Black, manager of the Rockies, stated, “With Dakota, I just think it was multiple misses up and on the wrong side of the plate.” The three-run home run was the final straw for him. He attempted to hit the breaking ball to the left fielder, but instead sent it soaring into his swing and into the wheelhouse, the one spot where that youngster likely has any real influence.
