DENVER — Rockies leadoff hitter Brenton Doyle was the first to learn that the Washington Nationals had secured an 8-7 walk-off win on Saturday night thanks to an unlikely pitch time violation.
Because this was Coors Field, a favorable environment for offense that would produce more than enough home runs and lead changes; because the Rockies had given up four straight hits in the top of the ninth against Nationals’ trusty closer Kyle Finnegan, the third of which was by Doyle to tie the game; because Finnegan had taken a 2-0 lead against Ryan McMahon before throwing three pitches to create the kind of full-count, bases-loaded, no-out, tied situation that no closer wants to be in; because only a few people were keeping an eye on the pitcher’s clock.
But Doyle’s call was correct: As Finnegan threw the final pitch, Doyle leapt from high above second base and waved, and a half-second later, home plate umpire Hunter Wendelsted came from behind the plate and tapped Doyle on the wrist to make the call.
“Right away I was devastated because I felt like I let the team down there,” Finnegan said. “To lose a game like that is something we shouldn’t have done.”
This was the first pitch clock violation in MLB history to end a game. It was Finnegan’s ninth pitch clock violation of the season, four more than any other pitcher. Coors Field erupted with looks of disbelief rather than protest as several Nationals players raised their hands in protest. After the game, Finnegan said he thought he would be in time to pick up the clock because he was trying to focus on the pitch and where it was going to be. At first, he didn’t know what Wendelstead called because he thought the pitch was on time, but it was just a little late.
“I think he leads the league in violations, so he’s got to be aware of that,” manager Dave Martinez said. “He could have been sent off. It’s a tough situation. He’s got to keep that in mind.”
“By the time I saw it, it was really too late to scream,” CJ Abrams said. “They wouldn’t have heard me anyway. It was loud outside. It was just a weird ending. I don’t know.”
The Nationals (37-39) got to this moment after overcoming a lot of drama in a long stretch Saturday. They overcame a three-run homer by second baseman Brendan Rodgers to give the Rockies an early, 4-2 lead; Mitchell Parker giving up three or more earned runs for the first time in his career; the ejection of Jesse Winker, who has challenged third-strike calls multiple times this season and was finally ejected by Wendelstead after venting his frustration in the fifth inning; and leadoff moonshots in the seventh (off Jacob Barnes) and eighth (off Hunter Harvey) by Finnegan to give the Rockies (27-50) just a one-run lead going into the ninth inning.
Ultimately, they couldn’t withstand the pace of a near-perfect closer, a pace that Martinez said was key to his success.
“I like to use the time to my advantage, but I have to make sure there’s a second left on the clock,” Finnegan said. “We didn’t do that tonight and we paid the price.”
“He’s just slow,” Martinez said. “I mean, that’s his personality. He’s a closer. It hurt today, but it doesn’t usually hurt. … He’s in good form, so I don’t blame him. It’s one of those days when you play here. He can bounce back tomorrow. If we have a lead, he’ll be out there again.”
But Parker kept the game within reach. He allowed the first run in the first inning when the defense failed to convert consecutive double plays. Washington briefly led 2-1 in the third on an Abrams double and singles by Lane Thomas and Eddie Rosario, but Rogers rallied with a 436-foot, three-run homer to put Colorado ahead in the bottom of the inning.
Parker kept his cool, lightly punching the palm of his glove, jabbing the new ball, and striking out the next batter. He ultimately gave the Nationals a chance (and saved their bullpen) by pitching six complete innings with eight strikeouts, including striking out the final five Rockies players he faced.
Washington also stayed in the game thanks to a strong top of the lineup that had a strong June. Abrams homered in the fifth inning to cut the lead to 4-3, then hit an RBI single in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 4-4. Thomas added a second game-winning single the next batter to put the team ahead, 5-4, but Thomas and Abrams were prevented from scoring a much-needed run when they were intercepted while stealing bases. One inning later, Luis Garcia Jr. smashed a two-run homer 438 feet down center field for the second night in a row to extend the lead to 7-5.
Barnes and Harvey hit huge home runs in their respective innings to tie the game in the seventh and cut Washington’s lead to 7-6 in the eighth, but they hung in there in the ninth to give Finnegan a one-run lead.
Finnegan is hopeful he’ll get another chance on Sunday.
