Rockies snap 8-game skid, split DH vs. Nationals

Aaron Schunk had two hits, Mickey Moniak hit a two-run triple and the Colorado Rockies ended their eight-game losing streak with a 3-1 win over the Washington Nationals in the second game of a doubleheader on Sunday night in Denver.

Washington took the opener of the doubleheader, 3-2.

Antonio Senzatela (1-3) tossed six strong innings of one-run ball to get his first win in nearly three years. His last victory came on June 19, 2022, against San Diego.

Rookie Zach Agnos pitched a scoreless eighth inning in his major league debut — the fourth Rockies player to appear in their first big-league game this season.

Jacob Stallings singled and reached base four times — twice when he was hit by pitches — and Tyler Kinley picked up his first save.

Nathaniel Lowe had three hits for the Nationals, who finished 4-6 on their 10-game road trip. Washington starter Brad Lord (0-2) allowed two runs on five hits and struck out five in four innings.

The Nationals grabbed the lead in the first inning against Senzatela. James Wood walked, went to second on Keibert Ruiz’s groundout and scored on Lowe’s single. Luis Garcia reached on an infield single but Moniak’s diving catch in center field on a Dylan Crews shot saved two runs.

Colorado rallied to take the lead in the fourth. Stallings was hit by a pitch, went to third on Schunk’s two-out double and Moniak drove them home with a stand-up triple to left-center field.

It was just the second time the Rockies have held a lead over the past nine games.

Washington had two chances to get a run across. Jacob Young led off the fifth with a single, went to second on a sacrifice and was poised to score when Jordan Beck made a sliding catch of Wood’s soft liner down the left-field line.

The Nationals had another runner on second with two outs in the seventh, but reliever Jake Bird struck out Wood to end the inning.

The Rockies got an insurance run in the eighth when pinch hitter Nick Martini grounded out, driving in Beck.