Roark struggles, Nats finally on the board (Nats lose 4-3)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Tanner Roark's spring string of innings without allowing an earned run ended at 8 1/3, and the right-hander struggled in the first and fourth innings against the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon.

Roark surrendered a one-out single to Tommy Pham in the first, and José Martínez followed with a no-doubter of a home run to left field, the first earned runs Roark has allowed in four Grapefruit League starts.

After two scoreless innings featuring three groundball outs and two strikeouts, the Cardinals struck again in the fourth. Paul DeJong cracked a leadoff double and scored on Yadier Molina's RBI single to left. Jedd Gyorko walked and Kolten Wong hit into a fielder's choice with Gyorko erased at second. The Nationals got a break when Molina broke for home on a sharp grounder to short by Yairo Muñoz and was tagged out in a rundown.

So far, Roark appears to be working on his off-speed stuff, and it's not working particularly well. He's out after four innings, replaced by lefty Sammy Solís. Roark allowed three runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. He threw 64 pitches, 38 for strikes.

Meanwhile, the Nats are hitless through four innings against right-hander Luke Weaver. There have been some questions about CB Bucknor's strike zone, and Trea Turner had an animated discussion with the home plate umpire after striking out out looking in the fourth.

Update: The Nationals are hitless no more. Anthony Rendon led off the fifth by doubling off Austin Gomber. Rendon moved to third on Miguel Montero's flyout, then scored on a sac fly to right by Victor Robles. The Nats trail 3-1.

Update II: Matt Reynolds homered off Gomber, sending a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left-center with one out in the sixth. That cuts the Cardinals lead to 3-2.

Update III: Chris Dominguez hit a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to tie this game at 3-3. The Nationals would have taken the lead with Rafael Bautista drawing a leadoff walk, but he was caught stealing by Francisco Peña during Dominguez's at-bat.

Spencer Kieboom and Carter Kieboom both reached and advanced to third and second, respectively, on fielding errors by Cardinals third baseman Alex Mejía. Andrew Stevenson then drew a walk to load the bases for Adrian Sanchez, but he grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the Nats' threat.

Update IV: That lead didn't last long. Shawn Kelley gave up a leadoff home run to DeJong in the top of the eighth to give the Cardinals a 4-3 lead.

Update V: That's the ballgame. Final: Cardinals 4, Nationals 3.