Roark looks rusty in first start of season (Nats win 6-4)

Tanner Roark didn't get a lot of work this spring, and unfortunately he looks like it in his first start of the season.

Roark labored through his first two innings against the Marlins, walking two batters and hitting two others. He also was charged with a wild pitch that advanced a pair of runners into scoring position.

Luckily, the Nationals right-hander has been able to keep the damage to a minimum so far, allowing two runs on Marcel Ozuna's bases-loaded single in the top of the first but nothing else yet.

The Nationals trail 2-1 after three innings, getting their lone run on Ryan Zimmerman's homer in the bottom of the second.

Zimmerman drove a pitch from Marlins starter Dan Straily to right-center field, off the top of the out-of-town scoreboard and into the bleachers for his first home run of the young season.

Roark has looked rusty, and probably for good reason. He entered tonight's game having pitched only 10 2/3 innings in the last month, his spring interrupted by the World Baseball Classic. He made only one spring training start after returning to West Palm Beach, then had his start in Friday's exhibition game at Nationals Park postponed due to rain.

Roark did throw an 85-pitch bullpen session to try to stay sharp, but he wasn't able to imitate the experience of facing real live hitters.

Update: The Nationals scored four runs in the fourth inning to come back and take a 5-2 lead. Bryce Harper hit a run-scoring double and Daniel Murphy added an RBI single. After a Zimmerman walk, Jayson Werth's popup was dropped by Christian Yelich. Matt Wieters delivered a two-run single and the Nationals led 5-2.

In the fifth, Harper added another run-scoring base hit, a single, to up the lead to 6-2. Harper has three hits and three RBIs to start the season.

Update II: J.T. Realmuto hit a line drive solo homer in the eighth off reliever Enny Romero. The Marlins earned two more singles in the inning, but Oliver Pérez got Derek Dietrich to ground out to end the threat. Marlins manager Don Mattlingly was ejected in the seventh after Dietrich was hit by a pitch for the second time. In the bottom of the eighth, the Nats lead 6-3.

Update III: Blake Treinen came on in the ninth and allowed a single by Dee Gordon and a bloop RBI single to Realmuto. But he struck out Yelich for his second save. The Nationals are 2-0.

Final score: Nats 6, Marlins 4.