Rockies crush 7 HRs to beat Nationals 10-6 on June 18, extending Washington's losing streak to 10 despite Brady House's first hits. Read the full recap.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Another night at Nationals Park, another notch in the loss column. The Washington Nationals fell to the Colorado Rockies 10-6 on Wednesday, extending their agonizing losing streak to a full 10 games. It was a brutal defeat, powered by a record-tying seven home runs from the visitors that erased a decent start and any hope of snapping the skid. Yet, amidst the wreckage of a six-run seventh inning, a glimmer of the future emerged as rookie third baseman Brady House collected his first two Major League hits, offering fans a small, but welcome, reason to cheer.
The Nationals have now lost 10 consecutive games, marking their third double-digit losing streak since moving to D.C. in 2005.
What started as a promising outing for Michael Soroka, who racked up a season-high nine strikeouts over six innings, quickly devolved into a nightmare. The Rockies treated Nats Park like a launching pad, blasting seven homers to tie their franchise record. The game completely unraveled in the seventh inning, as reliever Cole Henry and the bullpen were shelled for six runs. Four baseballs left the yard in that frame alone, highlighted by Hunter Goodman's three-run shot that broke the game wide open. While Nathaniel Lowe and Luis García Jr. went deep for the Nats, their efforts were a drop in the bucket against Colorado's relentless aerial assault.
If you were looking for a reason to stay tuned until the final out, Brady House provided it. The highly-touted rookie, recently called up to the show, officially got on the board. House recorded his first big-league hit and, for good measure, added a second one later—an RBI single in the ninth inning. In a season defined by development, seeing a cornerstone piece like House have his first moment of success is exactly the kind of progress fans need to see. It may have been buried in a lopsided loss, but it was a significant milestone for the kid and the franchise.
While House provides hope at the big-league level, the next wave is making noise down on the farm. Farm director Eddie Longosz spoke glowingly about the progress of top pitching prospects Travis Sykora, Jarlin Susana, and Alex Clemmey. Sykora is earning praise for his elite work ethic, while the hard-throwing Susana and Clemmey are refining their command. Clemmey, a key piece from the Lane Thomas trade, continues to show impressive strikeout stuff. These updates serve as a crucial reminder that even as the major league club struggles, the talent pipeline is being actively stocked with the arms that could anchor the rotation for years to come.
It's tough to watch a team lose ten straight games, especially when one inning undoes any good that came before it. Tonight was a painful reminder of how far this team still has to go. But between Brady House's first hits and the promising arms developing in the minors, the blueprint for the future is still there. The challenge now is surviving the present. The Nats will try to snap this historic skid tomorrow, and fans will be watching not just for a win, but for more signs of life from the kids who represent the hope for a better season.
