WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Goodman homered twice, including a tying shot in the ninth inning, and then Mickey Moniak connected for a two-run drive that gave the Colorado Rockies a 6-4 victory over the skidding Washington Nationals on Monday night.
Colorado entered with 57 losses this season, tied with the 1932 Boston Red Sox for the most in the modern era (since 1901) through 71 games. Both the Rockies and Red Sox won their 72nd game.
Washington has lost nine straight overall.
Goodman tied it 4-all with a solo shot to left-center — his 13th homer of the season to lead National League catchers.
Moniak, who tripled in the fifth and scored on Michael Toglia’s single for a 3-1 lead, sent a two-run homer into the bullpen in right field to put Colorado ahead with his eighth home run this season.
Seth Halvorsen walked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the ninth before getting a double play and a groundout to earn his fourth save. Victor Vodnik (2-2) pitched a scoreless eighth.
Kyle Finnegan (0-2) was handed his fifth blown save of the season.
Thirteen of Colorado’s last 20 games have been decided by two or fewer runs, with the Rockies going 6-14 during that span.
Key moment
The Nationals hit two home runs in the fifth for a 4-2 lead. Daylen Lile hit his first major league homer to right field. James Wood powered a two-run shot the other way to left for his 18th of the season.
Key stat
Rockies batters entered with 35 strikeouts in their last two games, one shy of Boston’s mark of 36 over two games in 1986. Colorado fanned just seven times against Washington — keeping the MLB record for a three-game span at 52, set by the 2016 Orioles and matched by the 2017 Brewers.
Up next
Game 2 of the four-game series matches Colorado RHP Antonio Senzatela (1-10, 7.23 ERA) against Washington RHP Michael Soroka (3-4, 5.14) on Tuesday.
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