Nationals 10 - 11 Rockies
Final/11
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Scutaro sends Rockies past Nats in 11 innings

Jun 29, 2012 - 1:25 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Marco Scutaro knocked in the game-winning run with a bloop single into right field in the bottom of the 11th inning and the Colorado Rockies edged the Washington Nationals, 11-10, in the finale of a four-game series at Coors Field.

After stranding the potential winning run on base in the ninth and 10th innings, the Rockies finally got the job done in the 11th. Facing Nats reliever Craig Stammen (3-1), Jonathan Herrera laced a one-out double off the base of the wall in left-center and moved to third on a long fly out by Dexter Fowler two batters later.

Scutaro got ahead in the count, 2-0, before taking a couple huge swings and misses to even it at 2-2. Stammen then left one over the plate and Scutaro sliced it into right to score Herrera for the walkoff win.

"As soon as I hit it, I saw where the center fielder and right fielder were playing and thought it had a good chance of dropping," Scutaro said. "It's a long game, everybody was tired."

Adam Ottavino (2-0) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief work for the Rockies, who salvaged a split of this four-game set.

Tyler Colvin went 4-for-6 with a three-run homer, five RBI and was just a double short of the cycle, while Carlos Gonzalez had a pair of RBI base hits among his three hits and Chris Nelson contributed three hits and two RBI in the victory.

Michael Morse clubbed a three-run homer and Bryce Harper smoked the game-tying solo shot in the ninth for the Nationals, who have dropped three of their last five contests. Ian Desmond hit a two-run shot in the loss.

Trailing 10-9 heading into their final at-bat, the Nationals drew even against Rockies closer Rafael Betancourt, who was charged with his fourth blown save of the season, when Harper drilled a down-and-in fastball over the wall in right-center field, but the Nats were unable to take the lead.

"They didn't throw me one strike the whole series," Harper said. "I got a pitch over the plate, drove it, and it was a 10-10 ball game."

Earlier, Colorado jumped on top with five runs in its first at-bat. Fowler and Scurtaro ripped back-to-back singles before Gonzalez smoked an RBI base hit to bring home the first run of the game. Todd Helton followed with a walk to load the bases and Nelson reached on an infield single to score Scutaro. Colvin capped the inning with a three-run shot to deep right field.

Colorado tacked on two more runs in the second inning on an RBI double by Nelson and a run-scoring single by Colvin to make it 7-0, but the Nats got back in the game with five runs in the third.

Tyler Moore opened the frame with a walk before Nats starter Edwin Jackson and Danny Espinosa singled to load the bases with one out. Ryan Zimmerman brought home Moore and Jackson with a sharp single up the middle and Morse followed with a towering home run to straightaway center field to cap the inning.

Scutaro began the Colorado fourth with a single, chasing Jackson from the game, and moved to second on a wild pitch by Nats reliever Tom Gorzelanny before Gonzalez laced an RBI single up the middle. Colvin crushed a triple into the right-center field gap to bring home Gonzalez later in the frame to restore the Rockies' four-run margin at 9-5.

Washington battled back with four runs in the fifth to tie the game at nine. Harper ripped a single through the left side to bring home Espinosa, who doubled to start the frame. Adam LaRoche lofted a sacrifice fly to center, which allowed Harper to tag and score, and Desmond clubbed a two-run homer over the scoreboard and into the seats in right.

Colorado grabbed the lead right back in the home portion of the inning when Josh Roenicke crossed the plate on a double-play groundout by Gonzalez for a 10-9 advantage, but the Nats got even in the ninth.

Game Notes

This was the sixth time this season that the Rockies have scored five runs in the first inning...Washington has scored 10 or more runs in three consecutive games for the first time in the history of the Montreal/Washington franchise...Jackson lasted three innings and allowed eight runs on 10 hits...Colorado starter Josh Outman was charged with five runs on five hits in three frames...The Rockies went 8-for-21 with runners in scoring position and left 13 men on base.






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