In a historic moment, Ryan McMahon drew a bases-loaded walk on a pitch-clock violation by Kyle Finnegan, securing an 8-7 victory for the Colorado Rockies over the Washington Nationals on Saturday night.
This marked the first game in major league history decided by a pitch-clock violation. Finnegan, who leads the league with nine pitch-clock violations this season, took responsibility for the loss, acknowledging that he was “a hair too late” with his pitch.
The Rockies’ ninth-inning rally began with four consecutive singles off Finnegan, including a game-tying hit by Brenton Doyle. Ezequiel Tovar’s line single loaded the bases, setting the stage for McMahon’s decisive walk. Despite Finnegan’s previous success, converting 21 of 23 save chances, the pitch-clock violation proved costly.
Manager Dave Martinez acknowledged Finnegan’s struggles with the clock, noting that it “hadn’t really cost him” until now. McMahon, meanwhile, credited the umpire with doing his job, saying, “I’m never looking at the clock…I didn’t know what was going on until the umpire said something.”
The game featured several outstanding performances, including Luis Garcia’s two-run homer for Washington and CJ Abrams’ three-hit night, which extended his hitting streak to 13 games. Brendan Rodgers, Hunter Goodman, and McMahon homered for the Rockies, with Goodman’s seventh-inning homer tying the game. Ezequiel Tovar singled, walked, and scored twice, including a run on Rodgers’ three-run homer.
This thrilling contest marked a milestone in baseball history, with the Rockies and Nationals becoming the first teams to be part of a game decided by a pitch-clock violation. As Manager Bud Black noted, “How about that?”