Cesar Hernandez and Dee Strange-Gordon had two hits each, Patrick Corbin earned his first win of the season, and the host Washington Nationals beat the Colorado Rockies 7-3 on Thursday night.
Yonathan Daza and Elias Diaz had two hits each and German Marquez pitched six innings for Colorado. The Rockies have dropped three of four to start their seven-game road trip.
The Nationals jumped in front with a big first inning. Hernandez led off with a walk, Keibert Ruiz singled, and after Juan Soto lined out, Nelson Cruz singled to drive in Hernandez.
Josh Bell followed with a double to bring in Ruiz, and Yadiel Hernandez doubled to make it 4-0.
Colorado got one back in the second inning. Brendan Rodgers led off with a double, moved to third on a one-out wild pitch and scored on a single by Jose Iglesias.
The Rockies struck again in the third inning. With one out Daza walked and scored on a triple by Charlie Blackmon. C.J. Cron grounded out to first to bring home Blackmon to make it 4-3.
Washington stretched its lead to 5-3 in the fourth when Cesar Hernandez doubled to drive in Victor Robles, who had reached on a fielder’s choice.
It stayed a two-run game until the seventh when Ty Blach relieved Marquez. Hernandez singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt before Blach walked the next two batters to load the bases.
Bell hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Hernandez to make it 6-3.
Marquez (1-5) allowed five runs on six hits in six innings of work.
Corbin (1-7) struck out the leadoff batter in the seventh but left after giving up a single to Diaz. He allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out three in 6 1/3 innings.
The Nationals added an insurance run in the eighth inning off Jhoulys Chacin. Strange-Gordon tripled to center field with one out and scored on a bunt single to first base by Robles.
–Field Level Media