Nationals unable to hold early advantage (Nats lose 7-3)
By Byron Kerr
Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark has been through a lot to get where he is at.
He had 17 losses a couple of seasons ago in the minors.
This year, he has rolled to an 11-6 record.
On Monday against the Orioles, with Chris Davis on base, J.J. Hardy's liner hit Roark square in the backside and glanced toward third base for a single.
As trainer Lee Kuntz, manager Matt Williams and pitching coach Steve McCatty started to walk toward the mound to see if he was OK, Roark turned around and saw them. He quickly motioned them away, apparently saying, "I'm fine, I'm fine."
With two men on, Ryan Flaherty's line drive to center was caught by Denard Span, who quickly threw to second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera to double up Davis and end the inning.
In the bottom of the second with two outs against Orioles starter Kevin Gausman, Wilson Ramos launched an opposite-field solo shot, his fourth homer of the season, and the Nationals led 1-0.
Gausman allowed seven earned runs in his only other start against the Nationals at Nationals Park in 2013. The seven runs and three homers allowed in that game were career-highs.
Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph quickly answered with a solo shot in the top of the third off of Roark and the game was tied 1-1. It was Joseph's fifth homer of the season.
Update: The Nationals connected with base hits again in the bottom of the third. Span had a double and Anthony Rendon added a single to put runners on the corners. Jayson Werth's fly ball to center scored Span and the Nationals lead 2-1.
Update II: The Nationals added another run in the fourth, but it could have been a lot more. A walk to Bryce Harper started the rally. Cabrera's single put men on first and third. Ramos' 6-4-3 double play scored Harper and the Nationals lead 3-1.
Update III: Nick Markakis hit a two-out solo shot down the right field line in the fifth and the Nationals lead 3-2. It is the first time since May 3 that Roark has given up more than one home run in a game.
Update IV: Big rally for the Orioles in the seventh. Back-to-back doubles by Hardy and Ryan Flaherty tied the game 3-3. After a sacrifice that got Flaherty to third, pinch-hitter Delmon Young delivered a single to left-center and the Orioles lead 4-3.
Later against Craig Stammen, Adam Jones smacked a single to left with the bases loaded and the Orioles led 5-3. The Orioles collected six hits in the inning to come back and take the lead.
Roark went 6 1/3 innings, allowed five runs, all earned, on seven hits, including two homers, with one walk and struck out three batters. He threw just 90 pitches, 61 for strikes.
Update V: In the eighth, the Orioles kept it going. Joseph hit a two-run single off of Stammen and the Orioles lead 7-3. They have 10 hits and five runs in the past two innings.
Update VI: The Nationals failed to put a man on base over the last three innings against the Orioles bullpen and fell 7-3. Baltimore took three of four games in the season series between the regional rivals.
Roark's personal winning streak ended at four. He had pitched to a 1.29 ERA over those four starts, but took the loss to slip to 11-7.
The Nationals saw their record drop to 60-50 and their National League East lead is down to three games with the Mets coming to town tomorrow.
As trainer Lee Kuntz, manager Matt Williams and pitching coach Steve McCatty started to walk toward the mound to see if he was OK, Roark turned around and saw them. He quickly motioned them away, apparently saying, "I'm fine, I'm fine."
With two men on, Ryan Flaherty's line drive to center was caught by Denard Span, who quickly threw to second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera to double up Davis and end the inning.
In the bottom of the second with two outs against Orioles starter Kevin Gausman, Wilson Ramos launched an opposite-field solo shot, his fourth homer of the season, and the Nationals led 1-0.
Gausman allowed seven earned runs in his only other start against the Nationals at Nationals Park in 2013. The seven runs and three homers allowed in that game were career-highs.
Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph quickly answered with a solo shot in the top of the third off of Roark and the game was tied 1-1. It was Joseph's fifth homer of the season.
Update: The Nationals connected with base hits again in the bottom of the third. Span had a double and Anthony Rendon added a single to put runners on the corners. Jayson Werth's fly ball to center scored Span and the Nationals lead 2-1.
Update II: The Nationals added another run in the fourth, but it could have been a lot more. A walk to Bryce Harper started the rally. Cabrera's single put men on first and third. Ramos' 6-4-3 double play scored Harper and the Nationals lead 3-1.
Update III: Nick Markakis hit a two-out solo shot down the right field line in the fifth and the Nationals lead 3-2. It is the first time since May 3 that Roark has given up more than one home run in a game.
Update IV: Big rally for the Orioles in the seventh. Back-to-back doubles by Hardy and Ryan Flaherty tied the game 3-3. After a sacrifice that got Flaherty to third, pinch-hitter Delmon Young delivered a single to left-center and the Orioles lead 4-3.
Later against Craig Stammen, Adam Jones smacked a single to left with the bases loaded and the Orioles led 5-3. The Orioles collected six hits in the inning to come back and take the lead.
Roark went 6 1/3 innings, allowed five runs, all earned, on seven hits, including two homers, with one walk and struck out three batters. He threw just 90 pitches, 61 for strikes.
Update V: In the eighth, the Orioles kept it going. Joseph hit a two-run single off of Stammen and the Orioles lead 7-3. They have 10 hits and five runs in the past two innings.
Update VI: The Nationals failed to put a man on base over the last three innings against the Orioles bullpen and fell 7-3. Baltimore took three of four games in the season series between the regional rivals.
Roark's personal winning streak ended at four. He had pitched to a 1.29 ERA over those four starts, but took the loss to slip to 11-7.
The Nationals saw their record drop to 60-50 and their National League East lead is down to three games with the Mets coming to town tomorrow.
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