By Bobby Bancroft and Brian McNally, Associated Press
WASHINGTON — A tough series on the road against a division leader was just what the Colorado Rockies wanted as they approach August.
Adam Lind and Brian Goodwin homered in the fifth inning, and the Washington Nationals beat the Rockies 3-1 on Sunday night to split a day-night doubleheader.
In the first game, Charlie Blackmon had four hits and scored four runs, and the Rockies roughed up Erick Fedde in his major league debut to win 10-6.
Colorado (61-45) won two out of three in the series and has a solid lead for one of the two National League wild-card spots.
"We had a tough series in St. Louis, and to win a series in Washington against a really good team, it feels good," Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado said. "We have a long ways to go — August, September. We have a lot of baseball games to start playing the baseball we know we can play."
The Rockies had a 1-0 lead in the second game before Lind's two-run homer off Jon Gray (3-2). One out later, Goodwin followed with his homer for a two-run lead.
Edwin Jackson (2-1) allowed four hits in seven innings, striking out six. Sean Doolittle got his third save.
"You want to go deep into games anyway, but after the first game this afternoon it was a do-or-die kind of start to go out and eat up innings and save the bullpen," Jackson said.
Jackson, 33, was signed by Washington in June and pitched seven innings for the second time in three starts since being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse. He is yet another unexpected player who has provided a boost to a team ravaged by injuries.
(Jackson) did great tonight," Lind said. "Every team over the course of the summer, there's so many games. Especially being a bit of an older roster, you need a lot of depth and need to rely on waiver claims and your minor-league system. It's nice that this system has that type of depth."
Gray also allowed just four hits in seven innings, but two of them were the homers. He struck out eight.
Goodwin homered for the 11th time since being promoted from Triple-A Syracuse on May 8. Lind was signed as a corner outfielder and first baseman off the bench and hit his ninth homer.
Gerardo Parra drove in the lone Colorado run with a fifth-inning single.
Blackmon had four singles in the opener, while DJ LeMahieu had three hits, including two doubles, and scored twice. Nolan Arenado added three hits and two RBIs.
Fedde (0-1) allowed 10 hits and seven runs — five earned — in four innings while striking out three.
The 2014 first-round selection loaded the bases in the first inning before recording his first out on Gerardo Parra's double-play groundout that scored Blackmon. Ramiel Tapia's single scored LeMahieu one batter later and Colorado led 2-0 after the first inning.
Kyle Freeland (11-7) went five innings, allowing nine hits and four runs while striking out four.
Ryan Zimmerman hit two home runs and Wilmer Difo also homered for Washington. Both finished with three hits.
Zimmerman had a three-run homer in the third inning and a solo shot in the seventh. He has 24 homers this season and his four RBIs left him tied for the most in franchise history with Tim Wallach, who played with the Montreal Expos from 1980-92.
Trainer's room:
Rockies: LHP Jake McGee (mid-back strain) was placed on the 10-day DL retroactive to July 27. "Jake's been feeling it for a few days. In St. Louis it started bothering him a little bit . when he was warming up yesterday he felt it again," said manager Bud Black. Colorado recalled LHP Zac Rosscup from Triple-A Albuquerque. He has allowed one run in 3 2/3 innings this season for the Rockies and Chicago Cubs.
Up next:
Rockies: RHP Jeff Hoffman (6-3, 5.58) faces the New York Mets on Tuesday for the second time in two weeks. He gave up four runs in six innings on July 16 in a 13-4 victory over the Mets. Colorado is off on Monday.
Nationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez (8-5, 2.81) is 7-2 with a 2.19 ERA pitching in his hometown of Miami. Washington begins a three-game series with the Marlins on Monday at 7:10 p.m.
