Storen victimized and missed opportunities cost Nationals series against Rockies

The eighth inning turned into a big inning for the Rockies in this series. Their ability to score runs in that frame against Nationals right-hander Drew Storen helped them to a series win.

Friday night, Carlos Gonzalez belted a grand slam off Storen in a Rockies 5-4 win. The Nationals had entered the inning with Storen on the hill and a 4-1 lead.

On Sunday, the game was tied at 4-4 in the top of the eighth. The Rockies scored two runs in the frame again off Storen to help them to a 6-4 victory over the Nationals.

The Rockies got the benefit of a questionable call in the frame. With Ben Paulsen on first, catcher Michael McKenry appeared to foul a pitch off his bat that then hit his hand. Upon video review, the umpires ruled the ball hit McKenry first, so they called it a hit by pitch instead of a foul ball.

After a sacrifice bunt from Daniel Descalso, Paulsen and McKenry advanced to third and second, respectively. Then Kyle Parker hit a ball back to Storen, and he caught Paulsen off of third base in a rundown. Instead of forcing Paulsen all the way back to third, Storen threw the ball to third baseman Yunel Escobar, who relayed it to catcher Wilson Ramos for the tag out near home plate. During the play, McKenry reached third base, and the rundown allowed Parker to go all the way to second base.

"I'm going to give it up," Storen said. "I could've ran him all the way back (to third base). But I don't know, I thought it would overcomplicate things, so I just decided to give it to Yuni. I had confidence. Like I said, I do it the way we practice it in spring training."

"They essentially get two free base runners there," Storen said of the inning. "Calls didn't go my way, and looking at the video evidence, I still don't know understand how that was reversed. I made good pitches. Sometimes those ground balls find a hole."

Storen said the call that McKenry was hit by pitch changed the inning.

"Yeah, no doubt," Storen said. "Any time a play like that you're looking at a hit by pitch or foul ball, that's a big call. Something needs to be changed with that, because that's not accurate. But that's part of the game. It's about suiting up now and going out there tomorrow and trying to get a W."

Nationals manager Matt Williams said the call that McKenry was hit by pitch was important, but the Nationals also had opportunities to add on throughout the game on offense.

"Certainly you can look to the bunt attempt and the hit batsmen that sets that inning in motion," Williams said. "But we had chances. We had lots of chances to score runs, too."

Rockies second baseman DJ LaMahieu hit a two-run single through the hole between third and short to break the 4-4 deadlock, and the Rockies led 6-4.

"They got one hit when they needed to, seeing eye through the left side," Williams said. "Not a bad pitch that Drew threw him. He hit it off the end of the bat, found a hole.

"He made a nice pitch with the guy on second and third with one out, but the next guy got a base hit. That happens."

And Williams later reiterated that they have full confidence in Storen despite a couple of tough losses in the series.

"I think that it's important for us to realize where Drew has been and how important he has been for us and continue to show him the confidence we have in him," Williams said. "It's important for us to do that as a team. It's important for us to continue to be aggressive. The big picture stuff is those guys are coming around offensively, that will help us, (Stephen Strasburg) as well."

One huge opportunity at being aggressive backfired in the bottom of the seventh.

With the score tied 4-4, Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon had led off with a double. With one out, first baseman Ryan Zimmerman singled and third base coach Bob Henley waived Rendon home.

The throw from right field beat Rendon to the plate and Rendon was tagged out by McKenry. The umpires conducted a video review and confirmed the call on the field that Rendon was out.

"The review at the plate is blocking the plate constitutes not giving them a lane to slide so they can reach the plate, but the ball beat him enough to where he can catch it and come in front of the plate," Williams said. "That's perfectly legal once he has the baseball. Depends on where the throw takes him, depends on a lot of factors. But the ball was there in plenty of time to go ahead and get in front of the plate and make the tag."