Turner reaches 162-game mark for first time (Nats down 7-0)

DENVER - Trea Turner wanted to play every day, and he indeed did play every day for the Nationals this season.

Upon stepping up to bat in the top of the first this afternoon at Coors Field, Turner officially appeared in his 162nd game of the season, and in the process became only the second player in Nationals history to reach that mark.

Ryan Zimmerman, who started all 162 games as the Nats' third baseman in 2007, had stood alone in the club's 14-season history until Turner matched him this year. Turner only started 158 games, but he came off the bench in the four other contests.

Turner is one of five major leaguers to play 162 games this season, joining Braves teammates Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis, Padres shortstop Freddy Galvis and Athletics first baseman Matt Olson.

Bryce Harper didn't quite get there, but the slugger is today playing in his 159th game of the season, a new career high. Next on the Nationals' list was Wilmer Difo, who played in 147 games.

Update: The Nationals are trying to win today's game, even if Max Scherzer isn't on the mound. But it's hard to deny that the Rockies have real motivation to win while the Nats have something less than that. So it's perhaps not surprising that after five innings, Colorado holds a commanding 7-0 lead. The Rockies have scored all their runs via three homers: a two-run shot by Nolan Arenado in the first, a two-run shot by Charlie Blackmon in the third and a three-run shot by David Dahl in the fifth. The first two came off Erick Fedde, who lasted only four innings and threw 64 pitches before he was pulled. The third one came off Tim Collins, who replaced Fedde to begin the fifth and surrendered three straight hits (capped by Dahl's homer) before getting yanked. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are manhandling the Giants right now, up 14-0 in the fifth. So barring a monster comeback in one of these games, there will be a tiebreaker to determine the National League West champion Monday in L.A.