Final
Nats pound out 21 hits in rout of Rockies
Jun 27, 2012 - 5:38 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Adam LaRoche hit two homers and drove in three runs Tuesday night and the Washington Nationals routed the Colorado Rockies, 12-5.Tyler Moore had a three-run homer, Ryan Zimmerman added a solo shot among his three hits and Michael Morse and Ian Desmond both went 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI as the Nats scored more runs than in any other game since Davey Johnson was hired as their manager a year ago.
They had 21 hits, matching a high since they moved to Washington, and set a new franchise record for extra-base hits with 11.
"My hitting coach is a genius," Johnson joked. "What can I say."
The win moved the Nationals to 2-3 on a 10-game road trip.
Dexter Fowler and Jonathan Herrerra hit solo homers for the Rockies, who fell to 4-15 since June 5. They had won the opener of the four-game series 4-2 on Monday.
Gio Gonzalez (10-3) became the fourth National League pitcher with at least 10 wins despite giving up five runs -- four earned -- in six innings. He yielded eight hits and a walk while striking out seven and had an RBI single.
Rockies starter Christian Friedrich (4-5) came out with one down in the fifth inning after 70 pitches.
"He pitched a lot better than his numbers indicated for the time that he was out there," said Rockies manager Jim Tracy, who continues to hold his starters to a 75-pitch limit in a four-man rotation.
Friedrich gave up four runs on nine hits and the Nats scored five runs off reliever Guillermo Moscoso in the inning.
The Nationals scored all their runs between the second and sixth innings. They took a 1-0 lead on LaRoche's first homer of the game in the second inning and went up 3-0 in the third on Morse's two-run double.
Colorado came back to tie it with a two-out rally in the bottom of the third. Jordan Pacheco singled and scored on Carlos Gonzalez's double for the first run and Michael Cuddyer walked. Both runners scored on Todd Helton's single to center -- Cuddyer when Bryce Harper sailed a throw wide to home plate.
Gonzalez helped his own cause with an RBI single in the fourth that scored Jesus Flores, who had doubled with two outs, and the Nationals pushed their lead to 9-3 with a five-run fifth.
Friedrich retired Harper on a fly ball to start the inning but was relieved by Moscoso.
Zimmerman and Morse then started the rally with back-to-back singles -- it was Zimmerman's 1,000th career hit -- and LaRoche walked. Desmond knocked in two with a double off the left field wall and Moore launched a three-run shot, his third of the season, also to left.
Fowler homered on Gonzalez's second pitch of the bottom of the fifth, his 10th, but Zimmerman launched his fourth of the season in the sixth and LaRoche homered again two batters later off Moscoso, a two-run blast that made it 12-4.
Herrera's third homer of the season off Gonzalez in the bottom of the sixth ended the scoring.
Game Notes
Rockies middle infielder Marco Scutaro was out for precautionary reasons after getting hit in the head by a Stephen Strasburg fastball in the sixth inning of Monday's game...Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca was reassigned within the organization Tuesday per his own request and is now a special assistant to general manager Dan O'Dowd. In his place, the Rockies named bullpen coach Jim Wright and Triple-A Colorado Springs pitching coach Bo McLaughlin co-pitching coaches...Mark DeRosa played for the first time since April 27 and hit a ground-rule double in the ninth for the Nationals. DeRosa was activated off the 15-day disabled list Monday after being out with a strained left oblique....Friedrich has lost four straight starts.
- WASHINGTON: 12
COLORADO: 5
Final
Jun 26 11:49 PM - Jonathan Herrera two-out, solo Home Run (3) to left. Guillermo Moscoso due up.
Nationals 12, Rockies 5 Bot 6, 2 OutsJun 26 10:59 PM - Adam LaRoche two-out, two-run Home Run 2 (15) to left scored Michael Morse. Ian Desmond due up.
Nationals 12, Rockies 4 Top 6, 2 OutsJun 26 10:49 PM - Michael Morse singled to right. Runner on first with two outs and Adam LaRoche due up.
Nationals 10, Rockies 4 Top 6, 2 OutsJun 26 10:46 PM - Dexter Fowler lead-off Home Run (10) to right. Jordan Pacheco due up.
Nationals 9, Rockies 4 Bot 5, 0 OutsJun 26 10:27 PM - Tyler Moore one-out, three-run Home Run (3) to left center scored Adam LaRoche and Ian Desmond. Jesus Flores due up.
Nationals 9, Rockies 3 Top 5, 1 OutJun 26 10:20 PM - Ian Desmond double to left scored Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse with one out. On the play, Adam LaRoche advanced to third. Runners on second and third and Tyler Moore due up.
Nationals 6, Rockies 3 Top 5, 1 OutJun 26 10:18 PM - Gio Gonzalez single to left scored Jesus Flores with two out. Runner on first and Danny Espinosa due up.
Nationals 4, Rockies 3 Top 4, 2 OutsJun 26 9:52 PM - Todd Helton single to center scored Carlos Gonzalez. On the play, Todd Helton advanced to second as Michael Cuddyer scored on Bryce Harper's throwing error with two out. Runner on second and Chris Nelson due up.
Nationals 3, Rockies 3 Bot 3, 2 OutsJun 26 9:38 PM - Michael Cuddyer walked. Runners on first and second with two outs and Todd Helton due up.
Nationals 3, Rockies 1 Bot 3, 2 OutsJun 26 9:32 PM - Michael Morse double to center scored Danny Espinosa and Ryan Zimmerman with two out. Runner on second and Adam LaRoche due up.
Nationals 3, Rockies 0 Top 3, 2 OutsJun 26 9:17 PM - Adam LaRoche one-out, solo Home Run (14) to left. Ian Desmond due up.
Nationals 1, Rockies 0 Top 2, 1 OutJun 26 8:56 PM - WASHINGTON: 0
COLORADO: 0
Top 1, 1 Out
Jun 26 8:42 PM
Related News
- Tuesday Rockpile: What did the Rockies get in trading for Cal Quantrill? Dec 26
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Getting more pitching in 2024 + more... Dec 26
- Monday Rockpile: What’s under the tree for Rockies’ fans this Christmas? Dec 25
- This Week in Purple: Happy Holidays! Dec 23
- Friday Rockpile: Rockies rookies Jones and Tovar earn well-deserved bonuses Dec 22
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Keibert Ruiz, CS% and more… Dec 22
- Thursday Rockpile: Should the Rockies consider a reunion with Mike Moustakas? Dec 21
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Stephen Strasburg retirement?; 40-man spot + more... Dec 21
- Every Rockie Ever Podcast: Troy Tulowitzki Dec 20
- Wednesday Rockpile: Let’s explore the backup catcher market for 2024 Dec 20
- Tuesday Rockpile: The Colorado Rockies’ offseason is progressing as it should (even if it’s boring) Dec 19
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Joey Meneses & DH duties vs playing the field… Dec 19