Williams discusses Nats' 7-2 July 4 loss

In front of the largest July 4 crowd in the seven-year history of Nationals Park, the Cubs put up 14 hits, scored in five different innings and picked up a 7-2 win in the first of three games between these two teams in D.C. Tanner Roark lost his second straight outing to the Cubs, allowing four runs over seven innings, and after the Nationals had trimmed the Chicago lead to 4-2 after seven, the visitors opened the game back up with a three-run ninth to secure the win. Jayson Werth hit a solo shot in the first, his eighth homer of the season, and Wilson Ramos plated a run with a single in the seventh. But the Nats missed a chance to push a run or two across in the fifth when Roark failed to get down a bunt with runners at first and second with nobody out. Here's manager Matt Williams after the loss. On Roark's outing, and his pitches being a bit up today: "Yeah, an extra day's rest. A little bit up and not quite as crisp. They got a lot of base hits on him. I mean, he kept it to four (runs), but just up and kind of middle today. Breaking ball wasn't as good, changeup wasn't quite as good." On Roark not being able to get the bunt down: "Well, 3-0 (count), (Jason Hammel) was nowhere close on the first three, so we gave him the take sign there. Got to 3-1. He had a couple of opportunities to get it down. That's something they work hard on every day. Wasn't able to do it. Could've been a different game there potentially. He'll continue to work on it." On if he considered pinch-hitting for Roark in that spot and going for a big inning: "No, it sets up perfectly for us, getting the bunt down, moving the guys to second and third with the top of the lineup coming up. We've got a lot of game left there. It's a little bit early. We wanted to certainly get one and hopefully two there. Just didn't execute." On Roark lately: "Just seems like he's missing a little bit, missing fastball location, probably most. Which, of course, sets up everything else. Just not as crisp. Not as on-the-corner. If he does get a strike, it's a little bit up, maybe a little bit over the plate. He'll regroup in his next bullpen session and get after 'em again. Just not quite as crisp." On if Roark's two-seamer has been moving as much in recent outings: "I can't tell from standing over there. Have to look at the tape and see. For me, it's just up. Not quite as down in the zone as it usually is." On Hammel, who is now 8-0 in 10 career starts against the Nats: "He's good. He's got a really good curveball that he threw a lot today. Ball sinks and he's able to pinpoint his fastball, too. He's been tough on us. Been tough on everybody, but especially us. Pitched out of a potential jam in the fifth, as we talked about. We weren't able to get to him."