Rockies earn MLB’s first win on a pitch-clock violation in wild night at Coors Field

This ballpark has had its share of crazy nights. Put this one near the top of the list.

Ryan McMahon’s based-loaded walk, which ended with a pitch-clock violation, completed a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth to deliver the Colorado Rockies an 8-7 victory against the Washington Nationals in front of 34,509 at Coors Field.

It is the first walk-off win via the rule in MLB history. This is the second season with a pitch clock, and a ball is awarded when the pitcher does not throw in time. McMahon had a 3-2 count with the bases loaded, but Washington closer ended an ignominious outing with the Nationals’ final gaffe in a night full of them.

“Was that the first one? I hadn’t seen that before,” McMahon said. “Honestly, you hate to see a game end that way, but I’m happy it worked out in our favor.

“It’s only fitting that we get the first shot-clock violation to win a game.”

Finnegan leads the majors with nine pitch-clock violations this season. He’s also third in saves with 21, but did not record an out Saturday night against Colorado.

“Those situations, it just can’t happen. It can’t happen,” Finnegan said. “Just immediately felt awful about letting the team down in that big spot there. To lose the game in that way, it just can’t happen.”

Colorado trailed 7-5 entering the bottom of the eighth inning after the bullpen yielded two runs in both the seventh and eighth. McMahon homered in the eighth to give the Rockies a chance in the ninth.

They knocked around Finnegan with four straight singles to tie the game before McMahon worked the walk-off walk.

“That’s against a guy who’s having a really good year and has really good stuff,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Just a lot of really good at-bats. We squared the ball up against a guy that’s been really good. (That was) quality.”

Cal Quantrill pitched six solid innings in the win. Brendan Rodgers had one of the team’s three home runs in his return from injury.

Quantrill continued to be Colorado’s most effective pitcher this season. He allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk in six innings. Quantrill finished with six straight outs after yielding a home run to CJ Abrams to lead off the fifth inning.

That is Quantrill’s 10th quality start of the season. He’s tied for the second-most in the National League, behind Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler and San Francisco’s Logan Webb.

“He battled again,” Black said. “They seemed to have an idea about what to do with his split-finger (fastball), but he continued to make pitches. He’s a pitcher’s pitcher.”

Quantrill left with a 4-3 lead. His chances of collecting a seventh win were gone before the Rockies recorded another out in the seventh.

Jake Bird and Justin Lawrence combined to allow four runs in relief, the last two coming on Luis Garcia Jr.’s homer.

Rodgers celebrated his return from a strained hamstring with a three-run blast in the bottom of the third inning to give Colorado a 4-2 advantage. Mitchell Parker grooved a first-pitch fastball to Rodgers, and the Colorado second baseman sent it 436 feet into the second row of seats in center field section next to the pine trees for his fourth homer of the year.

Hunter Goodman greeted Washington relief pitcher Jacob Barnes with a 446-foot home run deep into the left-field seats to lead off the seventh inning and draw the Rockies back even at 5-5. Goodman has found a way to unlock his power at the MLB level this month.

Goodman now has five home runs in his past eight games after hitting three in his first 45 contests with the Rockies. He had 70 home runs in the minors over the past two seasons.

Before Finnegan’s violation, the Nationals also ran into four outs — three caught stealings by catcher Jacob Stallings — and gave away another on a weirdly-timed bunt.

The Nationals gave them an opening, and then the Rockies earned it. They won for just the time sixth time in 21 games this month.

“We’ve been punched in the mouth a couple times as a team, but we keep coming,” McMahon said. “And we’re just going to continue to do that.”

Bird, Bouchard injured. Colorado lost a pair of players during the game to injuries. Bird faced three batters before leaving with groin tightness. Sean Bouchard left with back soreness after trying to bend over and collect a ball in the right-center gap in the third inning.

Kitchen recalled. The Rockies recalled Austin Kitchen before the game Saturday. It’s his first time on a major-league roster. He won a College World Series at Coastal Carolina but was not drafted. He spent a year pitching for the Steel City Slammin’ Sammies in a four-team independent league in 2020 before signing with the Rockies in 2021. The Rockies designated relief pitcher Geoff Hartlieb (0-0, 9.00 ERA in nine innings) for assignment to make room for Kitchen.

Sunday’s pitching matchup
Nationals RHP Jake Irvin (5-6, 3.24 ERA) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (0-3, 13.21 ERA)

1:10 p.m. Sunday, Coors Field

TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region).

Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM

Freeland will make his first start for the Rockies since April 14, having missed more than two months with a left elbow strain. The 31-year-old Freeland made three rehab starts at Class AAA for Albuquerque, allowing three runs over 10 innings. Freeland was Colorado’s opening-day starter. He yielded 25 runs (23 earned) in his four starts before the injury, including 10 on opening night.

Irvin, 27, is in his second year in the Nationals’ rotation. He yielded four runs on eight hits and four walks against Arizona last time out, but before that reeled off a string of five straight strong starts — just five runs allowed total with 31 strikeouts across 31 2/3 innings. He has faced Colorado once in his brief MLB career, allowing four runs in six innings July 26, 2003.

Pitching probables

Monday: Off

Tuesday: Rockies TBD at Houston TBD, 6:10 p.m.

Wednesday: Rockies TBD at Houston TBD, 12:10 p.m.