Nats lose 6-4 to Rockies on June 17 after Kyle Finnegan allows two 9th-inning HRs, wasting homers from James Wood & Daylen Lile. Read how the streak hit nine.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a script Nationals fans have seen far too many times this season. A moment of pure elation, a glimpse of victory, snatched away in the cruelest fashion. A 4-2 lead in the ninth inning vanished in a hail of home runs, leading to a gut-wrenching 6-4 loss to the Colorado Rockies and extending the team's agonizing losing streak to nine games.
Nine consecutive losses. The longest, most frustrating skid of the 2025 season.
For a moment, it felt like the streak was over. The fifth inning brought a jolt of energy to Nationals Park as Daylen Lile launched his first career MLB home run, followed immediately by James Wood's mammoth 18th of the year. The back-to-back shots gave the Nats a 4-2 lead, and a sense of relief washed over the dugout. But that feeling evaporated in the top of the ninth. The Rockies' Hunter Goodman tied the game with a two-run homer, and just two pitches later, Mickey Moniak crushed a go-ahead two-run shot off closer Kyle Finnegan, sealing Washington's fate and silencing the home crowd.
Amidst the wreckage of another loss, the kids provided a reason to cheer. Daylen Lile's first big-league homer was a milestone moment, a sign of potential from the recently promoted outfielder. Meanwhile, James Wood continues to be the team's offensive engine. His two-run blast padded his team-leading totals in home runs (18) and RBIs (51), and he's maintaining a solid .284 batting average. Wood isn't just a bright spot; he's a foundational piece who consistently produces, even as the team around him struggles to find its footing.
The ninth-inning collapse put a harsh spotlight on the team's biggest liability: the bullpen. Kyle Finnegan was charged with his fifth blown save of the season, a number that is simply untenable for a closer. This isn't an isolated incident but the continuation of a troubling trend that has directly contributed to this nine-game slide. Whether it's fatigue, mechanics, or confidence, Finnegan's struggles have created a serious conundrum at the back end of the bullpen, leaving the team without a reliable option to lock down wins.
For fans needing a dose of long-term optimism, farm director Eddie Longosz provided some welcome news. Top pitching prospects are making strides, with Travis Sykora earning praise for his meticulous preparation and Jarlin Susana and Alex Clemmey focusing on refining their command and pitch strategy. Clemmey, the key return in the Lane Thomas trade, is showing significant promise. This focus on developing a wave of controllable, high-ceiling arms is a crucial part of the rebuild, offering hope that a more stable future is being built, even if it's not visible at the major league level right now.
While the present is painful, the flashes from Wood and Lile, combined with the promising arms developing in the minors, offer a reminder of the long-term plan. But for now, the Nationals are in a freefall. They desperately need a clean game—a solid start, timely hitting, and, most importantly, a shutdown bullpen performance—to stop the bleeding. All eyes will be on the mound and the manager's decisions as they try to avoid a tenth straight loss.
