Rockies lose 6-5 to Nationals, waste Austin Gomber’s strong start

The Rockies had everything working for them on a rainy Tuesday night in the nation’s capital.

Lefty Austin Gomber made his fifth consecutive strong start, rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar hit his 10th homer and played sparkling defense, and the Rockies pounded out 14 hits.

But all of that good stuff was washed away when the Nationals rallied for a 6-5 victory against Colorado’s usually dependable bullpen. Joey Meneses mashed a three-run homer off right-handed reliever Justin Lawrence in a four-run eighth for the game-winner.

The start of the game was delayed by 90 minutes and the rain returned in the seventh, halting play for another 51 minutes.

Gomber, mixing a lively fastball, big curve and effective changeup, surrendered one unearned run over six innings. He struck out four and didn’t walk a batter.

How good has Gomber been? He’s walked three batters over his last eight starts. Over his last five starts — all victories — the lefty has a 2.90 ERA with 19 strikeouts and just one walk.

Gomber got plenty of assistance from his defense, particularly Tovar and left fielder Nolan Jones.

Washington scratched out a run in the second, coming after a throwing error by third baseman Ryan McMahon that allowed Joey Meneses to reach. Stone Garrett advanced Meneses to third with a single, and Riley Adam’s double to left drove in Meneses. But a perfect relay from Jones to Tovar to catcher Elias Diaz erased Garrett at the plate. The Nationals’ potential big inning fizzled.

Colorado had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the frame, rattling right-hander Trevor Wiliams with three consecutive two-out hits: a single by Diaz, an RBI single by Michael Togila and an RBI single by Alan Trejo.

Tovar led off the third inning with his 10th homer, cranking Williams’ first-pitch slider into the left-field seats. Tovar now has 47 RBIs, tied with Diaz for the team lead. Singles by McMahon, Randal Grichuk and Diaz put Colorado ahead, 4-1.

Grichuk went 2 for 4, extending his hitting streak to nine games.

Washington first hinted at its comeback in the seventh with a one-out, solo homer by Garrett off reliever Brad Hand, cutting Colorado’s lead to 4-2. But Lawrence put down the rally — but only momentarily.

CJ Abrams led off the eighth with a single and Lane Thomas reached on McMahon’s second error of the game after the ball scooted under his glove. Jelmer Candelario singled home Abrams and then Meneses clouted the game-winner.

The two teams meet Wednesday afternoon in the rubber match of the three-game series.

Wednesday’s pitching matchup

Rockies RHP Peter Lambert (2-1, 5.49 ERA) at Nationals RHP Jake Irvin (3-5, 4.87)

10:10 a.m. Wednesday, Nationals Park

TV: AT&T SportsNet

Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM

Lambert, a long reliever earlier in the season, will be making his third start. He made a positive statement last Friday at Miami, pitching five scoreless innings after getting called up from Triple-A Albuquerque. It was the right-hander’s longest outing for the Rockies since pitching five innings on Sept. 14, 2019, vs. San Diego. Lambert has faced the Nationals twice in his career, going 0-1 with a 9.82 ERA. Irvin is fresh off a milestone outing. The rookie recorded a career-high nine strikeouts (five looking) and pitched a career-high 6 2/3 innings in Washington’s win over the Giants. He allowed three earned runs on five hits and one walk. In his seven starts since June 17, he’s 2-2 with a 4.10 ERA.

Pitching probables

Thursday: Off day

Friday: A’s LHP JP Sears (1-7, 4.19) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (4-10, 4.72), 6:40 p.m., ATTRM

Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis.

Source: Read Full Article