DENVER (Interstat) — Andrés Chaparro’s three-run home run in the first inning staked the Washington Nationals to an early lead, and Jacob Young and CJ Abrams added solo homers as Washington beat the Colorado Rockies 7-3 on Monday night at Coors Field.

The Nationals, who improved to 51-50, scored three runs in the first, one in the sixth, two in the seventh and one in the ninth. Colorado slipped to 40-62, plating all three of its runs in the third inning.

Washington right-hander Riley Cornelio, making his second start of the season, earned the win with five innings of work. He allowed three runs on five hits, walked three and struck out two. Cornelio improved to 1-1. Tom Cosgrove pitched two perfect innings to close the game, striking out one and recording his first save of the season.

Kyle Freeland took the loss for Colorado. The left-hander went six innings, giving up four runs on seven hits while striking out four. He fell to 2-9.

The game’s pivotal moment came in the sixth inning. With the score tied 3-3, Young led off the top of the sixth and launched a 1-0 pitch from Freeland over the left-center field wall for his ninth home run of the season, giving Washington a 4-3 lead. The Nationals never trailed again.

Washington had jumped ahead in the first. James Wood walked and Curtis Mead singled before Chaparro drilled a 1-1 pitch to left-center for his fourth homer, putting the Nationals up 3-0.

Colorado answered in the third. Jake McCarthy singled and Cole Carrigg singled, putting runners at the corners. After a strikeout and a walk loaded the bases, Willi Castro cleared them with a double to deep center, scoring McCarthy, Carrigg and TJ Rumfield to tie the game at 3-3.

The Nationals added insurance in the seventh. Wood singled leading off, and after a strikeout and a force out, Abrams drove an 0-1 pitch over the right-center field fence for his 22nd home run, scoring Daylen Lile and making it 6-3.

Washington tacked on one more in the ninth. Nasim Nuñez singled, and after a force out, Lile tripled to right field, scoring Wood for the final margin.

The Rockies put two runners on in the sixth but could not score. Castro walked and Troy Johnston walked with one out, but a fly out and a line out ended the threat.

Colorado’s offense managed only six hits. Castro went 1-for-3 with three RBIs and a double. McCarthy had two hits in four at-bats. Carrigg singled, and Tyler Freeman singled for the Rockies. Juan Mejia pitched a scoreless inning of relief for Colorado, allowing one hit and striking out one.

Washington collected 12 hits. Mead had three hits, including a double, and Young had two hits. Abrams drove in two runs. Lile tripled and scored once. Wood walked twice and scored three times.

The game took 2 hours, 25 minutes and was played before an announced crowd of 20,050 at Coors Field.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Washington 5, Colorado 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Washington a 58.10 percent probability of winning. The Nationals were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total of 10 runs went over the over/under line of 11.5.