DENVER — Ryan McMahon walked with the bases loaded on a full-count pitch clock violation by Kyle Finnegan as the Colorado Rockies scored two runs in the ninth inning for an 8-7 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday night.
It was the first game decided by a shot clock violation in major league history. Nationals closer Finnegan leads the league with nine shot clock violations this season.
“I'm just trying to focus on the field and then the location,” Finnegan said. “I thought I had picked up the clock. I guess by the time I picked it up, looked at the catcher and threw the pitch, it was too late. Those situations just can't happen. We deserved to win. and I couldn't do my job.”
Colorado had four straight singles to open the ninth inning off Finnegan (2-4) to get ahead of McMahon, who was trailing 0-2. Hunter Goodman and Jake Cave singled to open the inning, and Brenton Doyle singled to tie the score after committing two bunt attempts. Ezequiel Tovar singled to right field to load the bases. Finnegan had converted 21 of his previous 23 save opportunities.
“You hate to see a game decided that way, but I'm happy it turned out in our favor,” McMahon said. “I'm never looking [at the clock]. I'll let the referee do his job. “I didn't know what was happening until the referee said something.”
The pitch clock was adopted in 2023, but the time between pitches with runners on base was reduced from 20 seconds to 18 this season.
“Kyle has had some issues lately with the clock,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “He hadn't really struggled until that point, but it's something we feel could come back to haunt him at some point. He could have retired, but it's a difficult situation.
“That's something you have to be careful of. He's just slow. So today he burned it. He usually hasn't burned it.”
Luis García hit a two-run homer to give Washington a 7-5 lead in the eighth inning, and CJ Abrams had three hits, including his 12th home run. The Nationals had won 10 of 13.
Abrams finished one triple shy of the cycle and extended his hitting streak to 13 games. He had two RBIs and scored twice.
Brendan Rodgers, Goodman and McMahon homered for the Rockies, who tied the score with Goodman's home run in the seventh off Jacob Barnes. Goodman has five home runs in the last eight games. McMahon had three hits and his bases-empty home run in the eighth inning brought the Rockies within one run at 7-6.
“The Rockies and the Nationals are part of history,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. “What about that?”
Tovar had two hits, two walks and two runs. He scored on a single by catcher Jacob Stallings in the first inning and on a three-run homer by Rodgers for a 4-2 lead in the third. Rodgers played in his first game since June 7, when he suffered a hamstring injury. He made a clean fourth for the eighth time this season.
Abrams and Lane Thomas singled in runs for a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning, but the Nationals ran out when Abrams and Thomas were thrown out trying to steal second. Thomas had two hits.
The Nationals are third in the majors with 104 stolen bases, but have been thrown out 38 times, the most in the majors. Stallings threw out three of the four Nationals runners attempting to steal, all at second.
“Getting kicked out won't stop us from being aggressive on the basepaths,” Abrams said. “We're going to continue doing what we're doing.”
Nationals starter Mitchell Parker allowed four runs on six hits and struck out eight, including the last five he faced. He had not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his previous 12 starts.
Colorado starter Cal Quantrill allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings for his ninth quality start. He left with a 4-3 lead.
Washington left fielder Jesse Winker was ejected by plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt after taking a called third strike for the second out in the fifth inning. Winker briefly argued with Wendelstedt at the plate and was ejected after entering the dugout, the sixth ejection of his career.
COACH ROOM
Rockies: RHP Jake Bird (groin tightness) was removed from the game after facing three batters in the seventh inning. … RF Sean Bouchard (back sore) was replaced after three innings. … RHP German Marquez (Tommy John surgery) allowed one hit in four scoreless innings in a rehab start for Class A Spokane on Saturday. He struck out three, walked two and threw 50 pitches.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Colorado LHP Kyle Freeland (0-3, 13.21 ERA) is expected to be activated from the disabled list to make his fifth start on Sunday, and first since April 14, after missing nine weeks due to a left elbow strain. He will oppose Nationals RHP Jake Irvin (5-6, 3.24).
