The Washington Nationals saw two players make their debuts, but it ended far from what was hoped after falling 13-1 against the Colorado Rockies
Wednesday marked a notable day for the Washington Nationals given the team made the arrival of right handed pitcher Luis Perales official ahead of first pitch to set up his debut, but it ended far from how many hoped it would go.
The Nationals fell back in the loss column after a 13-1 finish against the Colorado Rockies with a series split the only hope ahead of Thursday's series finale.
Perales wasn't the only pitcher to make his debut after Matt Waldron drew the start, allowing a pair of hits and tossing one strikeout in 28 total pitches across two innings. Yet Will Dion would be the one to take the mound in the first of two struggling performances after allowing four earned runs in fewer than three innings, a feat that Perales also notched after giving up a grand slam.
Andres Chaparro was able to get the Nationals ahead early after opening
the bottom of the second with a solo home run after taking a 94 mph four seam fastball 382 feet into left field, but it would mark the only time they would find themselves ahead.
After giving up a leadoff walk, Dion's first home run allowed pushed Colorado ahead, 2-1, before an infield hit two batters later set up the second two run home run of the inning. Perales was on the mound in the seventh when he gave up a 402 foot home run off a 94 mph cutter, leading Blake Butera to turn to Clayton Beeter one batter later.
The Rockies were able to pile on in the eighth inning after another two run home run, this time with Orlando Ribalta on the mound, extended the deficit before Butera then turned to Jorbit Vivas to record the final out of the inning before giving up three more runs.
Though the Nationals did get good news as CJ Abrams returned to the lineup as the designated hitter, in the end, the Nationals fell to 7-17 through August and are now on the cusp of dropping a series against the worst team in baseball, a humbling new reality for a team who found itself still in the playoff conversation just one month ago.
The Nationals, now sitting 62-73 overall, will look to salvage the series with the chance at the split still on the table as Jake Irvin is set to take the mound for a 1:05 PM first pitch on Thursday.
