The Washington Nationals lit up the seventh inning to cap off the six-game road series
The Nationals are headed back home from the Mile High City with a series win after taking the rubber match. The second win came Wednesday evening after the Nationals electric late inning success propelled them to a 8-0 victory over the Rockies.
It wasn’t until the seventh inning when the Nationals ignited their offensive spark. It started after Daylen Lile walked shortly before he secured second after Keibert Ruiz grounded out to the pitcher.
Jorbit Vivas also earned a walk to put two runners on base. Then Nasim Nuñez singled to left and courtesy of a Rockies fielding error by Mickey Moniak allowed Lile and Vivas both to score. The Nationals extended their lead to 3-0 but they weren’t done yet.
James Wood picked up the second out of the inning after he lined out to right but Luis García Jr. didn’t let the pressure of two outs get to him. García drilled the 78 mph sweeper 421 feet to center to bring Nuñez and himself home for a two-run home run. Now 5-0, the Nationals started to insure the lead they had.
The Nationals kept the heat on despite the two outs. José Tena singled to right then it was CJ Abrams who continued his tear and singled to center with Tena now all the way at third base. Dylan Crews continued the streak when he also singled to center.
With the help of some Rockies errors, Tena and Abrams both scored and Crews also safely secured third. The inning wrapped up after Lile grounded out to first.
The Nationals had six runs on five hits with the help of the Rockies three recorded errors that kept Washington in front, now 7-0.
As the eighth inning rolled around, the Nationals weren’t done offensively. Ruiz had a lead off double to start the inning. Then Vivas singled to right to put Ruiz at third. Nuñez continued the trend after he also singled to left that brought Ruiz in for another Nationals run. The Nationals would go on to close out the inning now 8-0.
However, the Nationals first run of the game came earlier in the game after Vivas cracked open the fifth inning with a lead off triple. Nuñez grounded out to second for the first out of the inning. Then Wood hit a sacrifice fly out to center which allowed Vivas the first run and lead of the game. García wasn’t able to keep the inning going after he grounded out to third.
Vivas sliding into third base after he tripled to start the fifth inning. Tena continued the Nationals momentum in the sixth inning after he singled to right. However, Tena was just a little too far off from first and was picked off which emptied the bases for the Nationals. Abrams and Crews were unable to pick up where Tena left off after both struck out swinging.
After a report noted he's expected to stay in Washington this week, Cade Cavalli got his 22nd start of the season. With a 6-4 record this season, Cavalli averaged an 3.78 ERA, allowed 32 walks and secured 119 strikeouts.
Cavalli worked the mound so well against the Rockies as he made sure he eliminated potential runners from reaching base. After 90 pitches and six innings on the mound, Cavalli only gave up four hits and two walks. More impressively, he didn’t allow any runs and secured eight strikeouts.
Abrams also had a notable performance. The game marked his first four hit game of the season where in total he had three singles, a double, a run, and a stolen base.
The Nationals will get to enjoy a rest day on Thursday as they head back home for Friday's game against the Diamondbacks at 6:45 p.m. for a three-game series.
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