Roark steady and strong as Nats shut out Phillies 8-0

By Byron Kerr

Nationals

June 11, 2016, 11:02am

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Right-hander Tanner Roark got out of a major jam early against the Phillies on Saturday. And he was quickly rewarded.

Coming off his shortest stint of the season at Cincinnati, there certainly had to be some anxiety when the Phillies got men on second and third with two quick base hits with no outs to begin the second.

But just like the five runs the Reds scored last Sunday, Roark was unfazed in this challenge at Nats Park.

Roark then struck out the side and dodged the first rally by the Phillies.

His teammates instantly answered in the bottom of the second.

On four hits, the Nationals plated four runs, highlighted by run-scoring singles by Stephen Drew, Michael A. Taylor and Bryce Harper.

The four-run lead was all Roark needed to roll through the rest of his outing.

But the offense wasn't finished. They poured it on in the fifth with three more runs, sparked by a two-run double from Anthony Rendon.

The Nationals went on to beat the Phillies 8-0 for their fifth shutout of the season.

Roark (5-4) was outstanding, firing seven scoreless innings. He allowed six hits with one walk, one wild pitch and seven strikeouts. Roark threw 105 pitches, 68 for strikes. He is now 2-0 against the Phillies this season, allowing only two earned runs in 21 innings (0.86 ERA).