The Nationals have won 13 of their last 17 games at home and are an MLB-best 36-16 since May 24.
But Washington manager Dave Martinez still had to field questions about his bullpen after an 8-7 loss at home Thursday to the struggling Colorado Rockies.
Pitching in his third game in two days, Fernando Rodney gave up two runs in the top of the ninth as regular closer Sean Doolittle was deemed unavailable after he also saw action in both contests Wednesday.
With the trade deadline less than a week away, some Nationals fans took to social media hoping the team would go out and trade for a more proven reliever.
“We had no Doolittle. (Rodney) said he could go,” Martinez said. “That is what we had.” The Nationals had won the first three games of the series.
The Nationals trailed 3-0 before Anthony Rendon tied the game with a three-run homer in the fifth. Washington also got a homer from Matt Adams for a 7-5 lead in the seventh before the Rockies scored one in the eighth and two in the ninth off the Nationals bullpen.
Martinez didn’t consider bringing Wander Suero back for the ninth after he got one out in the eighth.
“He was more or less an emergency guy today,” Martinez said. The ERA of the Washington bullpen was 5.77 through Wednesday.
Max Scherzer, in his first start in nearly three weeks, was told before the game by Martinez he would be limited to about 85 to 90 pitches. He was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the last of the fifth after he went 86 pitches.
“I felt rusty today,” said Scherzer, who gave up three runs. “I anticipated that coming in. I am more concerned about tomorrow. I won’t know until tomorrow.”
Scherzer doesn’t take any solace in getting a few weeks away from the mound around the All-Star break.
“I don’t want to ever miss time,” he said.
His ERA rose slightly to 2.41 as he gave up four hits with eight strikeouts and two walks. He also allowed his 10th homer of the season.
Washington begins a three-game series at home Friday night with the Dodgers, who are 67-37 and had off Thursday.
Anibal Sanchez (6-6, 3.80) will start Friday for the Nationals against Cy Young candidate Hyun-Jin Ryu (11-2, 1.76) of the Dodgers. Joe Ross most likely will get the nod for the Nationals against All-Star Clayton Kershaw (8-2, 2.84) of the Dodgers on Saturday.
Washington right-hander Stephen Strasburg (13-4, 3.37) will go Sunday against Walker Buehler (9-1, 3.23) of Los Angeles.
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