Roark takes blame in Nats' 6-5 loss

The Nationals let a four-run lead evaporate in tonight's 6-5 loss to the Brewers. Once again, the Nationals offense struggled, managing just one base hit after the fourth inning. The Nats collected eight hits early, but it was mostly shoddy defense from the Brewers that enabled the Nats to take a 5-1 lead.

The Brewers began chipping away at the margin against Nats starter Tanner Roark with two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth. But after Roark retired the Brewers in order in the sixth, Nationals manager Matt Williams decided to send the right-hander back out for the seventh.

It might have been a bit too far for Roark to go as Brewers center fielder Gerardo Parra crushed a one-out solo homer to right-center field, tying the game.

Williams explained his reasoning for sticking with Roark to reporters after the game.

"He's still got a number of pitches left," he said. "Our bullpen is heavy. We want to make sure that he can get through that inning if possible. Unfortunately, he hung the changeup to Parra."

"He really struggled tonight to find location. The ball was up in the strike zone all night. Tanner struggled tonight to find consistency down in the zone."

Roark echoed Williams' feelings after allowing five runs on nine hits with one walk and four strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

"Everything was up and they were hitting it," Roark told reporters. "When I get offense like that ... when we get offense like that and get up 5-1, there's no reason why it shouldn't stay that way. I didn't keep it that way and it was just bad on my part."

"It was just a constant battle today, but that's no excuse. You gotta get guys out and you gotta keep the score that. We should've come out with the win. That's on my shoulders for not keeping it there and letting them back in the game."

After lefty Felipe Rivero finished out the seventh inning, Williams turned to right-hander Aaron Barrett in the eighth. Somehow the Nats surrendered the eventual game-winning run to the Brewers while only giving up one single in the frame.

Barrett got Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez swinging on a nasty slider, but Wilson Ramos couldn't control the third strike and Ramirez reached safely to start the inning. Left fielder Shane Peterson followed with a grounder to Danny Espinosa, who flipped to Anthony Rendon for the force at second. Rendon pivoted and hurried a throw that skipped by Clint Robinson allowing Peterson to advance into scoring position at second base.

Two batters later, Peterson crossed the plate to give the Brewers the lead on second baseman Scooter Gennett's slapper down the left field line.

Barrett then left in the middle of pinch-hitter Hernan Perez's at-bat with an apparent injury. After the game, Williams told reporters that Barrett was being checked out after feeling "uncomfortable."

Denard Span delivered his second straight three-hit game. In the first, Span led off the game with a double and then scored a few batters later when shortstop Jean Segura committed the first of three errors on the night for the Brewers. In all, the Nats scored three of their five runs off Brewers errors in the game.

The result spoiled the first career major league homer for Robinson. With one out in the second, Robinson jumped all over a 92 mph fastball from Brewers starter Matt Garza. The solo blast ended up in the second deck, well beyond the right field wall at Miller Park. The home run came in the 52nd game of the 30-year-old Robinson's major league career.