Nationals lose 3-1 after 13-3 blowout win
Washington split its last two with Colorado, routing the Rockies 13-3 before dropping the finale 3-1, and enters tonight's rematch 16 games back with an elimination number of 14.
Lile's blast, then a run and done
Rockies13-3Rockies1-3Washington lost 3-1 to Colorado on August 25, a comedown from the 13-3 win over the same Rockies club a night earlier. The split leaves the Nationals 1-4 in their last five games and 62-72 on the year.
The August 24 win was built on Daylen Lile, who went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, and on Andrew Alvarez, who worked 4.2 innings and allowed 3 earned runs on 5 hits while striking out 6 against 2 walks. A night later the offense that had scored 13 could only get to 1.
The stretch has been rough beyond the Rockies split — the Nationals dropped three straight to Miami from August 21-23 before the two games with Colorado, and the 1-4 mark over the last five is the shape the club is carrying into tonight.
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Recent News
The Nationals designated Trevor Williams for assignment on August 25, per MLB Trade Rumors. The move comes three days after Washington claimed Matt Waldron off waivers on August 22, also per MLB Trade Rumors — and it's Waldron who gets the rotation spot and the mound against Colorado tonight.
Elsewhere, the injury picture moved in small steps this week. James Wood extended his flat-ground throwing to 120 feet and resumed hitting off a tee on August 24, per Danielle Allentuck of The Washington Post, while Josiah Gray made the third start of his rehab assignment with High-A Wilmington on August 25, per Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com.
Upcoming
Tanner Gordon (0-4, 5.75 ERA) starts for Colorado; his last outing against Cleveland cost him a loss after 5.1 innings, 5 earned runs on 9 hits, 2 strikeouts and 2 walks over 82 pitches. Matt Waldron (1-2, 7.54 ERA) gets the ball for Washington in just his second start since being claimed off waivers, with his most recent outing back on April 29 — 5 innings, 3 earned runs, 6 hits, 1 strikeout, a walk and a no-decision against the Cubs.
As the Nationals host the Rockies tonight, the market has Washington favored at home despite the records, and the total reads middling — a number that fits two rotations still finding their footing more than it promises fireworks. For the price to hold, Waldron needs to look more like the pitcher Washington claimed than the one who last took a big-league mound in April.