WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:

GRAY’S DAY
The Washington Nationals fell to the Colorado Rockies, 1-0, in the opening game of this four-game series on Thursday afternoon… Josiah Gray (6.0 IP, 8 H, ER, BB, 6 SO) and Mason Thompson (2.0 IP, H, 3 SO) combined to hold the Rockies to one run.

• For Gray, it was his sixth career start of at least 6.0 innings while allowing one earned run or fewer.

• Thursday’s contest was the 12th 1-0 game all-time in Denver and the 11th at Coors Field since it opened in 1995.

OFF TO A GOOD START
Slick-fielding first baseman Dominic Smith is off to a strong start on defense…He is one of five National League first basemen to accumulate a league-leading one defensive run saved, per FanGraphs.com….According to Baseball Savant, Smith (1 OAA) is one of six National League first basemen with at least one out above average…Arizona’s Christian Walker leads NL first basemen with two outs above average so far this season.

BULLPENNING
Washington’s bullpen ranks second in the National League with a .280 opponents’ on-base percentage and sixth with a .216 opponents’ batting average through the first seven games.

• Carl Edwards Jr. (2.0 IP, BB, SO), Hobie Harris (1.2 IP, H, BB, 2 SO) and Erasmo Ramírez (4.0 IP, 3 H, BB, SO) have all tossed scoreless relief so far this season.

• Mason Thompson has tossed 7.0 innings of three-hit, one-run relief across three outings…He has yet to issue a walk…Thompson has pitched at least 2.0 innings in all three outings, and matched a career-high with 3.0 innings on April 3 vs. Tampa Bay (3.0 IP, H, ER, HR, SO).

HITTERISH
Some notes on a few hitters early in the 2023 season:

• CJ Abrams is 4-for-10 (.400) with a double, hit by pitch and one run scored over his last three games… This comes after going hitless in the first three games of the season.

• Through the first seven games, Victor Robles leads qualified Nationals in on-base percentage (.417) and is second in batting average (.300)…Robles has hit safely in four of seven games and has posted multi-hit efforts in two of his last three games.

• Lane Thomas leads qualified Nationals with a .333 batting average…He is 9-for-27 with two doubles, four RBI, three walks and one run scored…He’s reached safely in six of seven games.

SINGLE STATUS
The Nationals rank third in the National League with 41 singles this season…They trail the St. Louis Cardinals (51) and Atlanta Braves (46) and rank just ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers (40).

NOTHING BUT A NUMBER
The Nationals are one of six teams with at least three players in the top 50 youngest players in Major League Baseball to start the season…The Arizona Diamondbacks (5), St. Louis Cardinals (5), Detroit Tigers (3), Pittsburgh Pirates (3) and Seattle Mariners (3) also have three players in the top 50.

• CJ Abrams (22) is the third-youngest player in Major League Baseball, while Luis Garcia (23) is 15th and Keibert Ruiz (24) is 50th.

OPPONENT
COLORADO ROCKIES
The Nationals and Rockies will meet seven times this season (4 in COL, 3 in D.C.)…Nationals bullpen coach Henry Blanco played in Colorado during the 1999 season…First base coach Eric Young Jr. was drafted by the Rockies in the 30th round of the 2003 Draft and went on to spend five Major Leagues seasons (2009-13) with the Rockies…Chad Kuhl pitched for Colorado in 2022.

TODAY’S STARTER

1 MACKENZIE GORE

Left-handed starter was acquired by Washington at the 2022 Trade Deadline…Entered 2020 as the No. 6 prospect in all of baseball and 2021 as the No. 10 prospect, according to Baseball America …Was cited by Baseball America as having the “Best Fastball” in San Diego’s system entering the 2022 season and the “Best Slider” in 2021 and 2018…Was the 2017 Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year, just the second baseball player to win the award at the time (Dylan Bundy in 2011; Bobby Witt Jr. in 2019).

LAST START
Earned the win in his Nationals debut on April 2 vs. Atlanta…Allowed one earned run on three hits with six strikeouts and four walks.

• With the win, Gore became the seventh Nationals pitcher (2005-pres.) to win his debut with the team while allowing three hits or less in at least 5.0 innings of work, joining Edwin Jackson (2017), Ross Ohlendorf (2013), Collin Balestar (2008), Billy Traber (2006), Pedro Astacio (2006), Ryan Drese (2005).

2023 SPRING TRAINING
Gore went 1-1 with a 4.18 ERA in seven games (six starts) during Spring Training…He capped spring with 9.2 innings of three-hit, shutout ball with 12 strikeouts and three walks across his last two outings…He tossed 3.2 innings in the exhibition game vs. New York (AL) on March 28 at Nationals Park.

2022
Made his Major League debut with San Diego on April 15 vs. Atlanta (5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, HR, 2 BB, 3 SO)… Earned his first win in his next start, April 20 vs. Cincinnati (5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 7 SO)…Struck out 10 batters, April 27 at Cincinnati and June 4 at Milwaukee…Was on the Injured List (left elbow inflammation) at the time of the trade.

2021
Went 1-3 with a 3.93 ERA in 12 starts between three levels of San Diego’s system.

2020
Spent the season at San Diego’s Alternate Training Site.

2019
Put together his best professional season…Led Minor League Baseball (min. 100.0 IP) in ERA (1.69) and WHIP (0.83) and was second in opponents’ batting average (.161)…Ranked third in San Diego’s system in strikeouts (135) despite making just 20 starts.

COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:

WHAT’S HAPPENING
• After a 2-4 road trip to San Diego and Los Angeles to begin the season, the Colorado Rockies continue their first homestand of the season at Coors Field tonight with game two of four against the Nationals.

• Following this series, Colorado will take on the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field in a three game set before heading to Seattle for a three-game set.

LUCKY NUMBER 31
• With yesterday’s win, the Rockies are 17-14 all-time in their 31 Home Openers.

• Starting pitcher Kyle Freeland made his third career Home Opener start (also: 2017 & 2022), the most by a Rockie in franchise history … tossed 6.2 scoreless innings with four hits, two walks and five strikeouts … became the first pitcher in franchise history to toss at least six scoreless innings in each of his first two appearances of the season … also became the first Rockie since Jorge De La Rosa on April 9, 2010 to toss at least six scoreless innings in the Home Opener (7.0 IP vs. San Diego).

• Colorado won yesterday’s game 1-0, the first 1-0 game at Coors Field since July 4, 2018 vs. San Francisco … was the 12th 1-0 game all-time in Denver, the 11th at Coors Field … the Rockies are 9-3 all-time in 1-0 games in Denver.

KBOOM
• Kris Bryant extended his hitting streak to seven games with two hits yesterday, tying his career-high hitting streak to begin a season (also: 2022) … has reached base safely in 14-straight games dating back to July 24, 2022 at Milwaukee, hitting safely in 13 of 14 games across that span (.377, 20-for-53, 5 BB).

• Bryant has reached base in 44 of his 49 games played with the Rockies.

• His seven-game hitting streak is tied for the longest active hitting streak of 2023 in all of baseball (also: José Abreu, José Ramírez).

TIME FLIES WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN
• Through seven games the Rockies average game time of 2:30 is six minutes below the league average of 2:36.

• The Rockies’ shortest game of the season was a 2:03 affair last Sunday in San Diego, the 12th-shortest game in Rockies’ history, the shortest since a 1:58 time of game on July 1, 2008 … in that contest, Aaron Cook tossed a 79-pitch complete-game shutout against the Padres at Coors Field, one of only nine CGSO tossed at Coors Field at the time.

• The shortest game in franchise history came on June 30, 2006 at Seattle when the Rockies topped the Mariners 2-0 in 1:52.

NATIONAL TREASURE
• The Rockies went 3-4 against the Nationals in 2022, taking two of three at Coors Field May 3-5 while dropping three of four at Nationals Park May 26-29.

• Colorado has gone 123-95 all-time vs. the Nationals/Expos, a .564 winning percentage that is their best against any single opponent in franchise history.

• The Rockies have won each of their last four home series against the Nationals since 2018, going 9-4 over that span (the two teams did not play in 2020).

• Colorado’s first home series in franchise history was against the Expos, April 9-11, 1993 … the Rockies took two of three vs. the Expos in the series, highlighted by an 11-4 inaugural Home Opener win at Mile High Stadium on April 9 in front of 80,227 fans … second baseman Eric Young Sr. led off the first home game in franchise history with a home run off Expos starter Kent Bottenfield.

CRON ZONE
• C.J. Cron was named the National League Player of the Week Monday by Major League Baseball, the second time in his career that he has earned the honor (also: Aug. 8, 2021) … in four games to begin the season through Sunday, Cron hit .467 with two doubles, three home runs and seven RBI.

• Cron recorded seven hits through the first three games of the season, becoming the eighth player (ninth time, Dante Bichette twice) in franchise history to begin a season with at least seven hits through the team’s first three games, the first since Carlos González went 8-for-15 across the first three games of the 2015 season.

• Cron also became the first player in franchise history with at least seven hits and three home runs through the first three games of a season … the last player in the Majors with at least seven hits and three home runs through a teams first three games was Cody Bellinger with the Dodgers in 2019.

STARTING PITCHER #51 JOSÉ UREÑA RHP
THE SECOND TIME AROUND
• Made 17 starts in a Rockies uniform in 2023, going 3-8 (Rockies 6-11) while posting a 5.14 ERA (89.1 IP, 51 ER) with 38 walks and 60 strikeouts … allowed 10 home runs while opponents slashed .289/.356/.425 (102-for-353).

• Was signed by the Rockies to a Minor League contract on May 16 … was a member of Milwaukee’s Opening Day roster and made four appearances out of the bullpen before being designated for assignment on May 2.

• Re-signed by the Rockies to a one-year Major League contract on Nov. 11, 2022.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG
• Went 1-2 with a 6.52 ERA (19.1 IP, 14 ER) through five Cactus League starts.

• In his final Spring start on March 27 at Milwaukee, allowed three earned runs through three frames after issuing four walks … all three runs scored off a William Contreras three-run home run.

THE FINAL STRETCH
• Spun at least five frames and allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his last five starts for the Rockies in 2022, good for a 2.25 ERA (28.0 IP, 7 ER) through that span.

COORS FIELD
• Was 2-5 (Rockies 3-5) in eight starts at Coors Field in 2022, posting a 6.30 ERA (40.0 IP, 28 ER) with 18 walks and 29 strikeouts … allowed opponents to bat .311 (51-for-164) with six home runs … walked multiple batters in seven of eight starts (4.05 BB/9).

• Received a total of nine runs of support across his eight starts, with seven of those runs coming Aug. 19 vs. San Francisco in a 7-4 Rockies win … received no runs five times and one run twice.

1295 DAYS
• Is 5-3 with a 3.66 ERA (59.0 IP, 24 ER) in 15 career games (seven starts) against the Nationals.

• Last pitched against Washington on Sept. 21, 2019 … has been 1,295 days between outings against the Nationals.

A ROUND OF APPLAUSE
• Had his contract selected from Triple-A Albuquerque on July 6, 2022 and made his first start in a Rockies uniform that night at Dodger Stadium.

• Did not factor into the Rockies’ 2-1 loss despite tossing 6.2 innings and allowing one run on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts … tossed six scoreless innings before exiting the game in the seventh inning with the bases loaded and two outs … runner came around to score on a wild pitch by reliever Jake Bird.

• 11th start of his career, third on the road, tossing at least 6.2 innings and allowing one or fewer runs (last: April 14, 2019 vs. Philadelphia).

• Became the 15th pitcher in franchise history to toss at least 6.2 innings and allow one or fewer runs in his first start with the club (last: Tim Melville, Aug. 21, 2019 at Arizona).

SWEET AND SOUR AND SWEET AGAIN
• Began his Rockies career in 2022 with three-straight quality starts July 6-16, going 1-1 with a 1.45 ERA (18.2 IP, 3 ER) over that span … became the fifth Rockie in franchise history to record a quality start in each of his first three starts with the club, joining Joe Kennedy (four-straight, 2004), Jon Garland (2013), Jason Jennings (2001) and Bryan Rekar (1995).

• In his start on Aug. 24 vs. Texas, became the first Rockie in history to allow at least nine hits and nine earned runs in 1.1 innings or fewer, the 24th in Major League history (last: Mike Fiers, Sept. 9, 2021 at Houston; 1.0 IP, 9 H, 9 ER).

• Earned his first win as a Rockie on July 16 vs. Pittsburgh, tossing six scoreless innings in a 2-0 Rockies win … sixth time in his career tossing at least six scoreless, the first time since July 29, 2018 vs. Washington.

• In 17 starts with the Rockies, posted seven quality outings and allowed five or more earned runs four times.

SUPPORT SYSTEM
• Received two or fewer runs of support in 14 of his 17 2022 outings, including one run and zero runs six times each.

• His 2.42 run support average was the lowest in the Majors (min. 15 GS) … lowest RSA by a Rockies starter in a single-season in franchise history (min. 15 GS).

BREW CREW
• Was signed by the Brewers to a Minor League contract on March 29, 2022 and had his contract selected to the Major League roster on March 30.

• Made four relief appearances with the Brewers in April before being designated for assignment on May 2 … cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Minors on May 9 … refused his Minor League assignment and declared free agency the same day.

• Was scoreless in two of four relief outings, allowing a combined five runs (three earned) on seven hits across 7.2 innings (3.52 ERA) … walked five while striking out three.

• Last relief outing came on April 26 at Pittsburgh … allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits across 2.1 innings.

2021
• Made 18 starts and eight relief appearances for the Detroit Tigers after signing a one-year Major League contract on Dec. 23, 2020.

• Spent a majority of the season in the starting rotation, going 2-8 with a 5.96 ERA (83.0 IP, 55 ER) across his 18 starts … logged four quality starts.

• Struck out a career-high eight batters over seven innings on April 18 at Oakland.

• Moved to the bullpen in September where he went 2-0 with a 5.09 ERA (17.2 IP, 10 ER), five walks and 13 strikeouts.

• Had a pair of stints on the injured list, May 29-June 6 with a right forearm strain and July 17-Aug. 28 with a right groin strain.

FLORIDA MAN
• Spent the first six years of his Major League career with the Miami Marlins from 2015-2020.

• Was signed by Miami as a non-drafted international free agent on May 29, 2009.

• Current Rockies Bench Coach Mike Redmond was the Marlins’ manager when Ureña made his Major League debut in a relief appearance at Atlanta on April 14, 2015 … current Rockies Bullpen Coach Reid Cornelius served as the Marlins bullpen coach.

• Went 32-46 with a 4.60 ERA in 142 appearances (98 starts) for the Marlins … ranks among Marlins all-time leaders in innings pitched (597.0, 11th), starts (13th), wins (T-14th) and strikeouts (406, 14th).

• Was the club’s Opening Day starter two consecutive seasons, 2018-19, the first Marlins pitcher to do so since Josh Johnson made three-straight Opening Day starts 2010-12.