DENVER — Bryce Harper, once again a force in the middle of the Washington Nationals’ lineup, doubled home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning Monday night as the Washington Nationals came back to beat the Colorado Rockies 5-4.
The reigning Most Valuable Player in the National League, Harper went 9-for-67 (.134) after the All-Star break and then missed five games with a stiff neck. He returned Sunday and drove in a run with a double. Harper ramped up his offense against the Rockies in the series opener at Coors Field, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and two walks.
The loss was the fourth straight and 10th in 12 games for the Rockies. The Nationals kicked off a nine-game road trip with their third straight win and fourth in five games.
Trailing by three runs after the first inning, the Nationals chipped away and tied the game at 4 when Wilson Ramos led off the sixth with his 19th home run. It came against Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa in what turned out to be his final inning.
Facing Jordan Lyles (3-4), Trea Turner led off the seventh with a single, stole second and took third on Jayson Werth’s fly to right-center. Left-hander Boone Logan came on to face Daniel Murphy and walked him on four pitches. Harper gave the Nationals their first lead when he lined Logan’s 1-2 slider to right for a run-scoring double that put Washington ahead 5-4. The left-handed hitting Harper was hitting just .208 (22-for-106) against left-handed pitchers when he stepped in against Logan.
But Logan escaped further damage when he struck out Anthony Rendon and Danny Espinosa, the latter with the bases loaded.
Blake Treinen relieved Sammy Solis (2-3) and put a quick end to a Rockies threat in the seventh. DJ LeMahieu singled with one out for his career-high tying fourth hit, and Carlos Gonzalez followed with a single. But Treinen came on to face Nolan Arenado and on the first pitch, got him to bounce into an inning-ending 5-3 double play.
Mark Melancon worked the ninth to earn his 34th save and fourth since being traded to the Nationals. He threw four pitches and got three outs on ground balls.
Daniel Murphy cut the Rockies’ lead to 4-3 with a single in the fifth. The hit scored pinch hitter Wilmer Difo, who led off with a walk and scampered to third on Werth’s one-out single. Jorge De La Rosa then walked Harper to load the bases for Anthony Rendon. He hit a soft liner that third baseman Nolan Arenado caught at his shoetops and threw to first to double off Harper and end the inning.
Charlie Blackmon continued his power surge when he hit his 21st home run in the fourth, giving the Rockies a 4-2 lead. He stayed back on Max Scherzer’s 1-2 changeup and lofted it into the right-field stands for his eighth homer in seven games.
That was the final inning for Scherzer, who threw 97 pitches in a season-low four innings and allowed seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts. He had worked at least seven innings his previous six starts, but a 35-pitch first inning contributed to Scherzer’s early exit.
The Rockies scored three runs in that opening frame. David Dahl, who has hit safely in 20 of 21 games to start his career, doubled home two runs after LeMahieu flared a single to short right field and Scherzer walked Gonzalez and Arenado. Daniel Descalso brought in the third run with a sacrifice fly.
Werth hit a long home run, a two-run shot to left field, to cut the Rockies’ lead to 3-2 in the third. It was Werth’s 16th home run and scored Scherzer, who was 7-for-50 (.140) when he opened the inning with a single.
NOTES: Nationals LF Jayson Werth extended his on-base streak to 43 consecutive, tying the Nationals’ record set by Ryan Zimmerman from April 8-May 25, 2009. … Rockies CF Charlie Blackmon was named National League Player of the Week for the second time this season and the fourth time in his career. He hit .563 (18-for-32) with seven homers, nine RBI and a 1.913 OPS last week. … Rockies 1B Mark Reynolds underwent surgery to repair the broken hook on the hamate bone in his left hand. The surgery was performed in Vail, Co., and likely will sideline Reynolds for the balance of the season. … RHP Tyler Chatwood will be evaluated in coming days to determine whether the back spasms that bothered him in his start Sunday will cause him to go onto the disabled list for the second time this season. … Nationals 1B Ryan Zimmerman (left wrist contusion) and C Jose Lobaton (left elbow tendinitis) began rehab assignments Monday with Triple-A Syracuse. … INF Stephen Drew (vertigo-like symptoms) has increased his participation in baseball activities. … Nationals RHP Joe Ross (right shoulder inflammation) will throw a bullpen session during the three-game series in Denver.