Nationals 12, Rockies 5: Michael Morse and Ian Desmond paced a season-high 21-hit attack with four apiece and Gio Gonzalez became the second left-hander in Nationals history to reach double digits in wins as Washington rolled past host Colorado.
Adam LaRoche homered twice and drove in three runs while Tyler Moore added a three-run blast for the Nationals, who also set season highs in runs and homers (four).
Gonzalez (10-3), who also had an RBI single, joined John Lannan as the only southpaws in the Nationals' brief history to posted more than nine victories despite allowing five runs - four earned - and eight hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked one in improving to 6-1 on the road.
Lannan recorded 10 wins for Washington last season.
LaRoche got things started with a solo shot in the second inning and added a two-run blast, his 15th, in the sixth to complete his 17th career multi-homer performance. Moore followed Desmond's two-run double in the fifth with his third homer of the year, giving the Nationals a 9-3 advantage.
Morse delivered a two-run double in the third and Ryan Zimmerman, who went 3-for-5 and reached 1,000 career hits, added a solo homer in the sixth as Washington improved to 2-3 on its 10-game road trip.
Rockies starter Christian Friedrich (4-5) lost his fourth straight decision, allowing four runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old rookie has surrendered 25 earned runs and 39 hits over 19 1/3 frames in four home starts.
Reliever Guillermo Moscoso also was battered as he yielded eight runs and eight hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Dexter Fowler and Jonathan Herrera hit solo homers for the Rockies, who have lost seven of eight at home and 15 of 19 overall.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Gonzalez had his streak of allowing three runs or less halted at 14 starts. ... Nationals IF-OF Mark DeRosa made his first appearance since April 27, entering as a pinch hitter and remaining in the game at third base. DeRosa was activated from the disabled list Monday after missing 50 contests with a strained left oblique. ... Upon his request, Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca was reassigned and will serve as a special assistant to general manager Dan O'Dowd. Apodaca was in his 10th season as Colorado's pitching coach. Bullpen coach Jim Wright and Bo McLaughlin, Triple-A Colorado Springs' pitching coach, will serve as co-pitching coaches for the remainder of the season.
Washington | Colorado | |
Gio Gonzalez | Player | Christian Friedrich |
Win | W/L | Loss |
6.0 | IP | 4.1 |
7 | Strikeouts | 3 |
8 | Hits | 9 |
6.00 | ERA | 8.31 |
Washington | Colorado | |
Ian Desmond | Player | Jordan Pacheco |
4 | Hits | 3 |
2 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
7 | TB | 3 |
.800 | Avg | .600 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
Washington | 21 | 4 | 40 | .467 | 17 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Colorado | 12 | 2 | 19 | .308 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |