WASHINGTON -- Daylen Lile and Keibert Ruiz homered while Jake Irvin fought off early wildness to lead the Nationals past the Rockies, 7-1, splitting the four-game set on Thursday at Nationals Park.
Lile continued his hot August finish, similar to last year’s sensational push, when he led the Major Leagues in extra-base hits (T-1st, 16) batting average (.372) and slugging percentage (.681) after August 21.
In seven games since August 21 this season, Lile is hitting .429 (12-for-28) with two doubles, three homers, nine RBI and seven runs scored. Lile has four multi-hit games in his last seven contests.
Lile’s 18th home run of the season -- his second in the series -- traveled a Statcast-projected 399 feet at 104.5 mph to lead-off the fifth inning. He finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
Ruiz smacked a two-run shot in the eighth over the right field wall, his ninth of the season. Ruiz, who also doubled in the seventh, has hit safely in 12 of his last 16 games.
After spending two months on the IL with a shoulder strain, Irvin surrendered 20 earned runs in five starts. When the right-hander walked three of the first five Rockies faced Thursday, there was fear this would be another rough performance.
But Irvin ended up allowing only one run despite the season-high six walks.
The right-hander found a way to survive a pair of bases-loaded situations over 4 1/3 innings, striking out six on three singles, firing 94 pitches, 53 for strikes, holding the Rockies to an RBI single from Brett Sullivan in the third frame.
Jacob Young connected for a single, double, two stolen bases, a walk and run scored, and has hit safely in 13 of the last 19 games.
The bullpen of Tom Cosgrove, Erik Tolman, Clayton Beeter and Orlando Ribalta totalled 4 2/3 scoreless innings.