Alcides Escobar had three hits and an RBI as the Washington Nationals beat the Colorado Rockies 5-4 on Monday night in Denver.

Josiah Gray pitched 5 1/3 innings for the win, and Tanner Rainey picked up his third save for the Nationals (65-92). Lane Thomas and Luis Garcia contributed two hits apiece to help Washington end a three-game losing streak.

Ryan McMahon hit a three-run double and Elias Diaz and C.J. Cron had two hits each for the Rockies, who have lost five straight. Colorado (71-85) has dropped 10 of its past 11 home games.

The Rockies had a scary moment in the bottom of the first inning when Brendan Rodgers was hit in the head with a 92 mph Gray fastball.

Rodgers went down and stayed on the ground as a trainer and manager Bud Black came out. He sat up and eventually stood and walked off the field.

He was replaced by pinch runner Garrett Hampson, who stayed in the game to play second base.

The team announced later in the game that Rodgers had passed all concussion protocol tests.

The Nationals broke open a scoreless game in the fourth inning against German Marquez (12-11). Escobar led off with an infield single, Josh Bell was hit by a pitch with one out, and Yadiel Hernandez singled to load the bases with one out.

Marquez walked Keibert Ruiz on a full count to bring home the first run, and Garcia singled to right to drive in two. Ruiz was thrown out trying to go first to third on the single.

Washington added on in the fifth inning. Thomas doubled to center and went to third on Escobar's single. Juan Soto hit into a fielder's choice to shortstop, allowing Thomas to score with the fourth run.

Marquez allowed four runs on six hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out four.

In the sixth, Colorado loaded the bases with a single and two walks, and McMahon cleared them with a double. The latter hit chased Gray (2-2), who gave up three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four.

The Nationals loaded the bases in the ninth and scratched cross another run on a single by Escobar. The Rockies got the run back on Cron's two-out RBI double in the bottom of the inning, but Rainey got McMahon to ground to second base for the final out.

The contest was the opener of a three-game series.

--Field Level Media