The Colorado Rockies lost, 5-3, on Friday evening, but potentially they face an even bigger loss after Juan Nicasio left the game after a ball hit him in the face. In the top of the second inning, Ian Desmond hit a liner up the middle that Nicasio was unable to avoid. Nicasio couldn't get his glove up in time, either, and fell to the ground. He was attended to by medical personnel and taken to a nearby hospital.
Nicasio had allowed a two-run triple to Ryan Zimmerman in the first inning. The Nationals extended that lead to 4-0 by the end of the fifth inning. Rick Ankiel had an RBI single in the fourth inning and Michael Morse homered in the fifth.
The Rockies got to Jordan Zimmermann (7-9, 3.12 ERA) allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings and struck out eight. But Zimmermann was already out of the game when Chris Nelson and Ian Stewart hit RBI singles to score the runs in the sixth inning. Henry Rodriguez was the culprit for those two runs and the one Chris Iannetta (who went 3-for-4) added as well.
Michael Morse added his third hit of the night with an RBI single in the top of the ninth.
The Rockies (52-61, 27-30 home) continue this series at 6:10 p.m. MT on Saturday. Livan Hernandez and Jhoulys Chacin are the scheduled starters.
For more on the Nationals, visit Federal Baseball and SB Nation DC. As always, check out Purple Row.