Roark blanks Phillies through seven innings (Phillies win 3-0)

On a rainy and then misty Thursday getaway day, after waiting 36 minutes to get started, both starting pitchers have been very smooth in retiring batters as the Nationals and Phillies wrap up their three-game set.

Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark, coming off a career-high 15 strikeout performance last Saturday in 2-0 shutout of the Twins, retired 10 straight batters after issuing a leadoff walk to Odubel Herrera to start the game. Herrera was thrown out trying to steal.

But in the fourth with two outs, he walked Makiel Franco. Ryan Howard followed with a line drive base hit to left and the Phillies had two men on. But Roark was able to get Cameron Rupp to ground out to second base to end the inning.

Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola allowed a two-out single and a stolen base to Bryce Harper in the first inning, but Ryan Zimmerman grounded out to second base to end the frame.

Nola then recorded nine more outs in a row.

After four innings, there's no score between the Nationals and the Phillies.

Update: Roark went seven shutout innings and allowed only two hits. He struck out six and walked two, firing 99 pitches, 58 for strikes. Nola was just as efficient, tossing seven shutout innings and also surrendering only two hits. He walked one and struck out seven on only 77 pitches.

Shawn Kelley is on to work the eighth.

Update II: In the bottom of the eighth, the Nationals put some pressure on the Phillies. With one out, Pedro Severino walked and following another groundout, Matt den Dekker singled. The Phillies switched from Daller Hinojosa to Elvis Araujo, who walked pinch-hitter Anthony Rendon to load the bases.

But Araujo struck out Harper on three pitches to keep the game scoreless through eight innings.

Update III: The Phillies loaded the bases with no one out in the ninth. Facing Jonathan Papelbon, pinch-hitter Darin Ruf struck out.

Cameron Rupp then ripped two-run double to put the Phillies up 2-0. With two outs, David Lough singled off of Papelbon's glove, scoring a run to make it 3-0.

The Phillies had two hits until the ninth inning, when they tallied three runs on four hits.

Update IV: Zimmerman singled in the bottom of the ninth. But Daniel Murphy's deep drive was caught at the wall in right-center field.

Werth grounded into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play. The Nationals have now lost four in a row to the Phillis and are on a three-game losing streak.

The Phillies had not swept the Nationals in D.C. since May 2009.