Bullpen gets a much-needed confidence booster
The unlikely trio of Riley Cornelio, Matt Krook and Tom Cosgrove combined for 4 2/3 hitless innings in Monday night's win at Coors Field
DENVER – The game was tied, 3-3, when the bullpen door swung open for the first time and the Nationals’ first reliever of the night entered. It was only the bottom of the fifth, and this was Coors Field, which might as well serve as nightmare fuel for just about any pitcher who dares take the ball here.
Yes, the Nats went on to score four more runs before the game was over, getting home runs from Jacob Young and CJ Abrams and an RBI triple from Daylen Lile. But far more surprising – and impressive – than the seven runs that stood next to the visitors’ name at night’s end was the number that still stood next to the Rockies’ name when the final out was recorded: Three.
Of all the places for the Nationals bullpen to churn out 4 2/3 scoreless innings – oh, by the way, they were also 4 2/3 hitless innings – it happened at Coors Field?
What did Monday’s 7-3 victory do for the morale of the most-downtrodden relief corps in baseball?
“I think a tremendous amount of confidence,” Riley Cornelio said. “I think we have a ton of studs in that bullpen. We’re all really ready to come in and win. It was great to see a game like that.”
