Nats withstand Rockies’ late comeback, win 12-11

MacKenzie Gore equaled a career high with 13 strikeouts, Dylan Crews hit two home runs and the visiting Washington Nationals held off the Colorado Rockies 12-11 on Saturday in Denver.

Gore (2-2) allowed two runs on four hits and two walks over six innings. Crews drove in four and James Wood went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs. Jose Tena drove in three for Washington, which snapped a two-game skid.

Chase Dollander (1-2) allowed nine runs (six earned) on nine hits, striking out five and walking two over four-plus innings. Mickey Moniak homered, scored three runs and drove in four while Jordan Beck drove in three as the Rockies dropped their seventh in a row.

Washington struck first in the top of the second, when Luis Garcia Jr.’s one-out single was followed by Crews’ first home run of the season, giving Washington a 2-0 lead.

Colorado answered in the bottom of the frame as Moniak launched a two-run homer to knot the score at 2.

Washington’s Josh Bell began the fourth with a home run before Garcia singled and stole second, then Crews reached on Dollander’s throwing error.

Tena drove in the Nationals’ fourth run on a fielder’s choice. Three batters later, Wood connected on his seventh home run of the season, extending Washington’s lead to 7-2.

Garcia reached for a third time in the fifth on a walk, which was followed by Crews’ second home run, pushing the Nationals’ advantage to 9-2 and chasing Dollander.

Washington’s onslaught continued in the seventh as Tena’s single scored Garcia and Crews. Wood’s RBI single off reliever Luis Peralta gave the visitors a 12-2 lead.

Lucas Sims replaced Gore in the bottom of the seventh, allowing four runs in one-third of an inning, including Sean Bouchard’s two-run triple.

After Colin Poche entered for Washington, the Rockies tacked on two more runs on Hunter Goodman’s walk and Michael Toglia’s sacrifice fly.

Jose A. Ferrer relieved Poche, allowing Moniak’s walk and Beck’s three-run triple, pulling Colorado within two and stamping an eight-run seventh.

Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan surrendered Goodman’s leadoff walk and Moniak’s RBI triple in the ninth, but struck out Beck to seal the game for his seventh save.

–Field Level Media