WASHINGTON — Washington has had one winning season in 57 years. Major league executives figured building a glass-plated palace on desolate waterfront property would ignite a torrid romance with fans.
The six-year love affair has had all the spark of a soggy book of matches. That could change with the current gritty bunch, and the likely June promotion of top draft pick/greatest amateur pitcher ever Stephen Strasburg.
But Wednesday’s crowd of 11,191, the lowest du jour, was so quiet that the TV broadcast on the concourse could be heard in the dugouts. Those who wandered in on a chilly, wet evening were treated to a terrific comeback as the Nationals defeated the Rockies 6-4 at Nationals Park.
“This is embarrassing,” said Rockies setup man Rafael Betancourt, who suffered the loss. “Everything I threw was right down the middle of the plate. You can’t pitch like that.”
The defeat was a microcosm of the season. Colorado shows flashes of brilliance, but nothing consistent. The Rockies’ defense was uneven (two more errors) and the bullpen leaked at the worst possible time. Betancourt was tagged for two runs, and pulled in a forgettable eighth inning.
The relievers had strung together nine consecutive scoreless innings. But it was clear that Betancourt was off. Josh Willingham lined a single off third baseman Melvin Mora’s glove, and following a sacrifice bunt, Adam Kennedy was walked to set up a confrontation with backup catcher Wil Nieves. The blueprint called for a double play.
Instead, Nieves rapped a double to center field, smashing a belt-high slider that had a mind to cut but instead ran directly over the plate. The loss nudged the Rockies back under .500 for the third time this season.
This felt more like playoff hockey than baseball, with the constant back-and-forth. The Rockies were a flammable mix through three innings, then turned down the heat on struggling Washington starter John Lannan. Eight batters hit in the first inning, but only two scored on Jason Giambi’s sacrifice fly and Troy Tulowitzki’s groundout.
Lannan exposed Washington’s glass chin and the Rockies flicked him on the nose.
“It felt like we were one hit away,” manager Jim Tracy lamented.
Jason Hammel, for the second time this season, couldn’t protect a multirun lead. Washington moved ahead 4-3 in the third as the right-hander struggled with an erratic fastball and a Tic-Tac-sized strike zone. He regrouped — seven innings, three earned runs — but his hiccup was punished.
The defense didn’t do him any favors. Giambi couldn’t knock down Adam Dunn’s two-run double and Clint Barmes whiffed on a groundball that allowed Willingham to score.
“There were some bad hops,” Hammel said.
This is the type of game that the Rockies found a way to win over the final four months of last season. This year, they continue to discover painful ways to lose.
“We had something incredible happen with the no-hitter and we had the devastating tragedy with the (death of president Keli McGregor),” Tracy said. “And we still have a chance to have a credible trip, and go home to the people that need us.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
