Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Corey Dickerson ended up with two hits, an RBI and two runs scored, as Colorado topped Washington, 6-4, in Wednesday's finale of a three-game series from Coors Field.
Josh Rutledge doubled twice and scored once, while Charlie Blackmon added two hits and drove in a run for the Rockies, who avoided a sweep and put an end to their seven-game losing streak.
Nolan Arenado, Ben Paulsen and Michael McKenry also knocked in a run each to back the performance of Jorge De La Rosa (11-6), who fanned a season-high 11 batters while permitting one earned run and eight hits over 7 1/3 innings.
LaTroy Hawkins made it interesting in the ninth, allowing run-scoring hits from Jayson Werth and Anthony Rendon. A fielding error by Rutledge on a routine grounder from Adam LaRoche loaded the bases, but Ian Desmond fanned swinging on a 2-2 pitch to end the rally.
Denard Span finished 4-for-5 with an RBI and crossed home twice for the Nationals, who had won four in a row. Stephen Strasburg (7-8) gave up nine hits and four runs over 5 1/3 frames, fanning five but walking three.
Colorado caused trouble for Strasburg in the opening frame. Back-to-back one- out doubles from Rutledge and Dickerson brought in the first run, then after a walk to Arenado, Paulsen's base hit scored Dickerson. McKenry's solid two-out hit then brought home Arenado to give the hosts a 3-1 edge.
Danny Espinosa began the Nats' fifth with a double, stole third and came home on Span's two-out base hit, but the Rockies extended their lead with one run in the sixth and two more in the seventh.
McKenry worked a leadoff walk in the former, moved up on De La Rosa's one-out single and scored when Blackmon greeted Ross Detwiler with a base hit to left.
In the latter, Dickerson walked and scored when Arenado followed with a double. Arenado went to third on a wild pitch from Aaron Barrett and scored on an error following a second wild pitch.
Game Notes
De La Rosa's career best for strikeouts in one start is 12, achieved on May 9, 2009 in a 3-1 loss to the Marlins ... Colorado avoided a season series sweep at the hands of Washington, which had taken three in a row in America's capital from June 30-July 2 ... Prior to the contest, the Nationals placed third baseman Ryan Zimmerman on the 15-day disabled list and recalled infielder Zach Walters from Triple-A Syracuse ... Following the contest, Washington manager Matt Williams said an MRI revealed a "pretty substantial" hamstring strain.
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