Rockies top Nationals 3-1 for their 4th straight win in June 2025. German Marquez dominated, with homers from Michael Toglia & Jordan Beck. Can they keep it up?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It’s a feeling that has been all too rare in 2025: momentum. For the first time this season, the Colorado Rockies have strung together four consecutive wins, offering a brief but brilliant flash of competence in what has been a historically challenging year. The latest victory, a gritty 3-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, was a perfect example of the kind of baseball fans have been desperate to see, powered by the long ball and a gutsy performance on the mound.
The Rockies are on pace for a third straight 100-loss season and could break the modern record for losses set by the 2024 White Sox.
The recipe for success against the Nats was simple and effective. Michael Toglia and Jordan Beck provided the pop, each launching solo home runs that electrified the dugout. Veteran German Marquez turned back the clock, delivering 5 2/3 scoreless innings of six-hit ball, navigating traffic on the bases like a seasoned pro. The offense wasn't a powerhouse, but it was timely, with Orlando Arcia adding a triple and Ryan Ritter contributing a crucial sacrifice bunt RBI. When the ball was handed to Seth Halvorsen in the ninth, the rookie closer was lights out, securing his fifth save with a perfect frame and extending the Nationals' own losing streak to 11 games.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves. This four-game winning streak is a joy, but it's a small island in a vast ocean of struggle. This is still the team that set a modern record with only eight wins in its first 50 games and lost an astonishing 22 consecutive series before finally sweeping the Marlins. The club remains on pace for a third straight 100-loss season. Interestingly, advanced metrics show the pitching staff isn't the league's absolute worst, ranking between 25th and 29th in ERA- and WAR. However, defensive woes and the ever-present challenge of Coors Field have compounded to create a historically poor record.
If the present is bleak, the future offers a genuine glimmer of hope, and it's spelled P-O-W-E-R. The farm system is teeming with high-ceiling offensive talent. Keep these names handy: Charlie Condon, the 2024 first-round pick, is already looking like a future cornerstone. He's joined by Robert Calaz, the 2024 Arizona Complex League MVP, and Yanquiel Fernandez, who is mashing in Double-A. These outfielders represent the kind of impact bats the big-league club has been sorely lacking, promising a more explosive offense in the years to come.
It's not just about the bats. The organization is finally building a promising pipeline of pitchers. The undisputed leader is right-hander Chase Dollander, the 2023 first-round pick and the club's top prospect, who could be knocking on the door of the big-league rotation sooner rather than later. Behind him, arms like Brody Brecht, Carson Palmquist, and Sean Sullivan are developing. We're already seeing the fruits of this focus with Seth Halvorsen, who has seamlessly stepped into the closer role. For a franchise perpetually trying to solve the Coors Field pitching puzzle, this wave of talent is the most encouraging sign of all.
So, as the Rockies welcome the Diamondbacks to Coors Field tonight, fans have a reason to tune in with a little extra optimism. Can they make it five in a row? While one hot streak can't erase the struggles of an entire season, it's a reminder of what's possible. It's a taste of success that bridges the gap between the tough present and a potentially thrilling future powered by the next generation of Rockies.
