WASHINGTON
Adam LaRoche homered, Ryan Zimmerman had three hits, and Ian Desmond added two doubles and three runs batted in, as the Washington Nationals welcomed back Bryce Harper with a 7-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.
Harper, who missed 57 games because of a torn ligament in his left thumb, went 1-for-3 with an RBI single – on Bryce Harper bobblehead night.
Justin Morneau had three hits for the Rockies, who have lost 12-of-14.
Yohan Flande (0-1), making his second start, was charged with three runs on six hits.
The Nationals trailed 2-1 before a five-run sixth. With runners on first and second and one out, Zimmerman doubled to left off Rod Scahill, scoring Anthony Rendon. Harper was walked intentionally, and Desmond followed with a bases-clearing double.
Desmond, 6-for-6 with the bases loaded this season, stole third and scored on Wilson Ramos’ grounder to second.
Zimmermann, who finished June with a 3-2 record and a 1.43 earned-run average in six starts, allowed seven hits, struck out five and walked one. He’d been a victim of poor run support while going 0-2 in his last three outings.
The Rockies took a 2-1 lead in the sixth. Drew Stubbs led off with a ground-rule double, and Troy Tulowitzki drove him in with a double high off the wall in left. Tulowitzki went to third on a line-drive single by Morneau.
After Wilin Rosario popped out, Ryan Wheeler lined to short center. Tulowitzki tagged and Denard Span’s one bouncer to the plate got there in time, but catcher Ramos couldn’t field it cleanly as Tulowitzki scored.
Rockies rumpus
To make room for Bryce Harper, the Nationals optioned LHP reliever Xavier Cedeno to Triple-A Syracuse. . Colorado placed RHP Jhoulys Chacin (inflamed shoulder) on the 15-day DL. Manager Walt Weiss said Franklin Morales will make Chacin’s scheduled Thursday start, giving the Rockies five left-handers in their starting rotation. The Rockies recalled RHP reliever Chad Bettis from Triple-A Colorado Springs. . Rockies OF Corey Dickerson, who left Sunday’s game with a hamstring cramp in the eighth inning, was not in the starting lineup, but entered as part of a double switch in the sixth.
