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One night after the bullpen loomed large in the series opener, the Washington Nationals saw a familiar story play out once more after another late inning collapse led to dropping game two against the Colorado Rockies in an 8-7 finish.
Despite the loss, CJ Abrams dazzled after belting two home runs -- marking his third and fourth over the last three games along with his 24th of the season. Abrams was one of four players to record two hits alongside James Wood, Luis Garcia Jr and Nasim Nunez, but the bullpen struggles were what loomed largest.
Washington would give the pitching staff early insurance runs to work with after the first home run courtesy of Abrams brought in Jose Tena for a 2-0 lead in the opening inning. Yet with Carson Palmquist serving as the opener for Miles Mikolas, the second inning unraveled after allowing the first four batters to reach base, setting up the Rockies with a chance to tie the game at two, before a double then single pushed the Nationals into a two run deficit.
Manager Blake Butera then turned to Miles Mikolas to close out the frame as the veteran went on to allow three earned runs and six hits while tossing just one strikeout across 3.2 innings.
Abrams' second home run of the night pushed Washington back at even after a 434 foot shot once again brought Tena home, but the Rockies answered back after a ground out was enough to bring in the runner from third.
Washington would then grab its last lead of the game after a two-run RBI that brought in both Nasim Nunez and Keibert Ruiz made it a 6-5 score, but Mikolas' struggles on the mounds resurfaced as the Rockies answered with an RBI single in the fifth inning before a solo shot opened the sixth inning put the Nationals back in a deficit. A sac fly from Jorbit Vivas in the seventh then tied the game at seven, but that would change in the next inning.
After Clayton Beeter took the mound in the eighth to replace Matt Krook, who re-signed one week after being designated for assignment, a 399 foot solo shot capped off a full count to mark the go-ahead run in another disappointing outing for the Nationals' closer.
Washington's last comeback efforts never took off after Wood then Luis Garcia ended the game on consecutive strikeouts, ending the game on the road and setting up Wednesday's rubber match with first pitch set for 3:10 PM.
Nationals Roundtable also offers a fan community. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Nationals. Create an account, click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our free community and follow for all of our coverage, analysis and more!
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Despite the loss, CJ Abrams dazzled after belting two home runs -- marking his third and fourth over the last three games along with his 24th of the season. Abrams was one of four players to record two hits alongside James Wood, Luis Garcia Jr and Nasim Nunez, but the bullpen struggles were what loomed largest.
Washington would give the pitching staff early insurance runs to work with after the first home run courtesy of Abrams brought in Jose Tena for a 2-0 lead in the opening inning. Yet with Carson Palmquist serving as the opener for Miles Mikolas, the second inning unraveled after allowing the first four batters to reach base, setting up the Rockies with a chance to tie the game at two, before a double then single pushed the Nationals into a two run deficit.
Manager Blake Butera then turned to Miles Mikolas to close out the frame as the veteran went on to allow three earned runs and six hits while tossing just one strikeout across 3.2 innings.
Abrams' second home run of the night pushed Washington back at even after a 434 foot shot once again brought Tena home, but the Rockies answered back after a ground out was enough to bring in the runner from third.
Washington would then grab its last lead of the game after a two-run RBI that brought in both Nasim Nunez and Keibert Ruiz made it a 6-5 score, but Mikolas' struggles on the mounds resurfaced as the Rockies answered with an RBI single in the fifth inning before a solo shot opened the sixth inning put the Nationals back in a deficit. A sac fly from Jorbit Vivas in the seventh then tied the game at seven, but that would change in the next inning.
After Clayton Beeter took the mound in the eighth to replace Matt Krook, who re-signed one week after being designated for assignment, a 399 foot solo shot capped off a full count to mark the go-ahead run in another disappointing outing for the Nationals' closer.
Washington's last comeback efforts never took off after Wood then Luis Garcia ended the game on consecutive strikeouts, ending the game on the road and setting up Wednesday's rubber match with first pitch set for 3:10 PM.
Nationals Roundtable also offers a fan community. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Nationals. Create an account, click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our free community and follow for all of our coverage, analysis and more!
Continue reading...
