Fernandez outduels Roark, losing streak now at four games

MIAMI - The Nationals were unable to solve Jose Fernandez. Tanner Roark came within one pitch of solving the Marlins.

Miami downed the Nationals 1-0 on a Giancarlo Stanton home run in the sixth, his 27th of the season and second in this series. The Nats' losing streak has reached four games.

Roark pitched seven strong innings again, allowing one run and three hits with three walks and five strikeouts. He has reached 200 innings for the first time in his career (200 1/3), working at least seven innings for the 18th time this season.

But he would give it all back for the win.

"It's good and all, but we lost, so I'm pretty mad about that," Roark said. "The only thing that matters is winning and losing. Tonight we lost."

Manager Dusty Baker said Roark has come through the entire season in the starting role, a spot Baker promised him in spring training way back in March.

"He's been great all year," Baker said. "The thing about it is he's been the model of consistency. He has a very low ERA. He usually doesn't walk people. He's been outstanding.

"When we left for spring training, I asked him what did he want to do and he said he wanted to start. I said, 'Tell the world that. I'll give you every opportunity to start.' He's taken it and run with it."

Roark was rolling again through five innings, despite two walks and a hit in the third. With two outs, he got Christian Yelich to line out to short to end the threat.

"I wasn't being as aggressive as I wanted to be," Roark said. "A lot of pitches to righties were off the plate, down and away, so I was pulling off big time, but I settled back in made the pitches when we needed it."

But in the sixth with two outs, Stanton got his club on the board with a long home run to right field.

"I thought he hit a good pitch," Roark said. "Fastball down and away and he got me. Hats off to him."

But on this night, Fernandez was just better. The right-hander improved to 7-0 against the Nationals in his career after throwing eight innings, allowing no runs on three hits with 12 strikeouts. At one point, he retired 21 consecutive batters. His ERA is 0.99 in his 10 lifetime starts against the Nats.

Second baseman Stephen Drew connected on a double in the first inning, which seemed to be a very promising start against a pitcher that had gone 3-0 this season against the Nats. That was the Nationals' last hit against Fernandez until the eighth inning.

"Any time you've got him on the mound, you know it's going to be a grind," Drew said. "I kind of toed it, I wish I could have gotten it up a little more, so just wasn't in the cards, but you could kind of get that sense. We were trying to get on and battle, and he's a good pitcher over there."

Baker said Fernandez did a nice job of mixing his fastball and changeup. Drew said Fernandez threw three pitches well to keep the Nats guessing.

"It's everything," Drew said. "He mixes the ball up well, you could see it tonight. He was throwing anywhere from 98 mph, he's got a change-up going at 88 mph. He's got the slider that everybody knows about."

Wilson Ramos had a one-out single in the eighth as the Nats put together their best scoring chance on the night. Brian Goodwin followed with a single over first baseman Miguel Rojas' glove. Bu Fernandez struck out Danny Espinosa and pinch-hitter Daniel Murphy grounded out to end the threat.

"He was throwing extremely well today, mixing his pitches very well," Ramos said through interpreter Octavio Martinez. "I was just trying to relax out there.

"He was able to get me in my first at-bat, and in my last one, I was just concentrating on relaxing. I was looking for a particular pitch, and he got in on me a little bit, but I was able to fight it off and get a base hit."

The Nationals have 11 games remaining and still have a sizable lead in the division, but their home field advantage over the Dodgers is dwindling.

Does that concern Ramos?

"The biggest thing is we have to do the little things right on the playing field," Ramos said. "Take advantage when we have runners in scoring position, drive them in, just little things like that. Finish strong. The team is playing well. Just things aren't going our way right now."