The Colorado Rockies handed the Washington Nationals a thorough beating at Nationals Park on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, rolling to a 13-1 victory that was never in serious doubt after the middle innings. Tanner Gordon stifled Washington's lineup for seven innings while Colorado's offense erupted against a parade of Nationals relievers, with five different Rockies hitters recording multi-hit games and four going deep. The 12-run margin tells the story plainly: this one got ugly fast and never recovered.

Tanner Gordon Quiets the Nationals Lineup

Gordon was the engine that made everything work for Colorado. The right-hander went a full seven innings, allowing just one earned run on six hits while issuing zero walks and striking out five. That kind of command — seven innings, no free passes — gave the Rockies' offense all the runway it needed. Washington simply had no answer for him. The lone bright spot against Gordon was Andrés Chaparro, who went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, accounting for the Nationals' only run of the night. Dylan Crews added a 2-for-4 effort to keep his average respectable, but the rest of the lineup was largely neutralized.

Zach Agnos followed Gordon with two clean innings — one hit, two strikeouts, no earned runs — to close things out and keep the final score exactly where Colorado wanted it.

Washington's Pitching Staff Gets Carved Up

On the other side, the Nationals cycled through six pitchers, and only Matt Waldron and Clayton Beeter escaped without giving up an earned run. Waldron opened and actually held the line — two innings, two hits, one walk, no runs — but the wheels came off once Will Dion took over.

Dion, charged with the loss, gave up four earned runs in 2.2 innings on four hits and two walks. Luis Perales was equally punished, surrendering four more earned runs in two innings. Then Orlando Ribalta allowed four earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning. By the time Jorbit Vivas closed things out, Colorado had already put the game well beyond reach.

Colorado's Offense Put on a Show

Five Rockies hitters went deep, and seven recorded multi-hit games. Connor Norby was the most damaging, going 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBI — nearly half of Colorado's run total by himself. Troy Johnston added a 2-for-4 night with a homer and two RBI. Cole Carrigg and Hunter Goodman each contributed a home run and two RBI as well. Ezequiel Tovar chipped in two hits and two RBI. Jake McCarthy and TJ Rumfield each went 2-for-their-respective-at-bats without reaching the scoring column, but their presence kept the lineup from ever letting up.

The Rockies didn't need a big inning to break the game open — they just kept finding gaps and gaps kept turning into runs. Washington's bullpen struggled with command, and Colorado made every mistake count.

Key Performances

  • Andrés Chaparro (WSH): 3-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI — the only real offensive production Washington could muster
  • Dylan Crews (WSH): 2-for-4, no RBI
  • Tanner Gordon (COL): 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K — winning pitcher
  • Connor Norby (COL): 2-for-4, 1 HR, 5 RBI
  • Cole Carrigg (COL): 2-for-6, 1 HR, 2 RBI
  • Hunter Goodman (COL): 2-for-6, 1 HR, 2 RBI
  • Troy Johnston (COL): 2-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI

What's Next for Washington

The Nationals will need to regroup quickly. A 12-run loss at home is a tough result any way you look at it, and the bullpen's inability to stem the bleeding — 13 earned runs allowed across the staff — is a concrete problem that needs addressing before the next game. Chaparro's homer was a legitimate positive, and Crews showed good contact, but this group needs run support and pitching to line up on the same night. Washington will look to bounce back in their next contest and avoid letting this kind of performance become a trend.