Nationals crush Rockies to snap 6-game skid

Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez homered but later departed with knee soreness and is listed as day-to-day.TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Washington), ROOT (Colorado)PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (6-6, 4.62 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa (7-5, 4.75)Strasburg has struck out 20 batters in 13 innings since recovering from an oblique injury that prompted a stint on the disabled list. The Colorado Rockies have lost five of their last eight home games.

The Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies begin a three-game series Tuesday night.

The Rockies are not in playoff contention, but losing Gonzalez is a blow to the team’s offense nonetheless.

“I tweaked it a little bit but nothing bad”, he said.

Forging the game’s third tie, Parker homered off Zimmerman to lead off the sixth but Washington went back in front in its next at bat on Taylor’s RBI single off reliever Justin Miller (1-2) who had put a runner in scoring position by issuing two walks. “I did my best and happy we got the win”. He gave up one hit and four runs with three walks, one intentional. “Working through some tough stuff in the pen right now”. The Rockies have scored 15 runs in their last three games and four or more runs in four of their last eight games. It was his second wild pitch of the inning in which he also yielded a walk and shortstop Ian Desmond’s single.

Second baseman Danny Espinosa’s two-out double in the fourth gave the Nationals a 5-4 lead.

Michael A. Taylor hit a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning and the Nationals capitalized on a lack of control by Rockies pitchers in a four-run eighth to turn a close game into a rout. He connected for his 28th homer in the first inning. His issues this year have been of the more minor variety, such as exhausted legs and a hand sprain.

Making his first appearance at Camden Yards, the 6-foot-4 deGrom extended a run of impressive starts – he’s 9-2 with a 1.44 ERA in 16 starts since May 11 (see full recap).