Despite taking an early lead, Nationals ace Max Scherzer shut down the Rockies, and Jon Gray could only match him for so long in a 6-2 Rockies loss on Saturday. The Rockies had a 2-0 lead before Gray even took the mound as Charlie Blackmon marked his return to the lineup with a two-run home run in the top of the first. However, that was all the offense the Rockies would get as a four-run sixth ended up being Gray’s, and the Rockies’, undoing.
Jon Gray coughs up another big inning
For the third time in four starts in 2018, it was one bad inning that doomed Gray. The Rockies led the game 2-1 going to the bottom of the sixth. Gray started the inning by allowing bloop singles to Wilmer Difo and Bryce Harper before getting Matt Adams to pop out. Gray then allowed a single to Matt Wieters that tied the game and Michael A. Taylor gave Washington the lead with a squeeze bunt. Moises Sierra then put the game out of reach with a two-run double that chased Gray from the mound.
Max Scherzer does his thing
Scherzer, on the other hand, did not let early troubles rattle him. He walked Gerardo Parra before Blackmon’s first inning home run and then proceeded to retire 20 Rockies in a row for the next 62⁄3 innings. Blackmon’s long ball was the only hit Scherzer allowed in seven innings, with the walk to Parra and 11 strikeouts.
Looking ahead
The Rockies will look to secure a series win tomorrow, with Tyler Anderson on the mound against Washington’s Stephen Strasburg. First pitch is scheduled for 11:35 a.m. Mountain time.