The Nationals ran their winning streak to five games with Saturday’s win versus the visiting Pirates with an all around solid effort.
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Roark was masterful in his eight scoreless innings, during which he allowed five singles and a walk.
Strasburg has allowed a total of five hits in three starts since coming off the disabled list on July 3.
The Pittsburgh Pirates conclude their series in the Nation’s Capitol versus the Washington Nationals. “He’s given us everything we wanted”.
Chris Taylor drove in six runs and fell a single shy of the cycle, and Los Angeles starter Bud Norris (5-7) finally beat Arizona. Stephen Drew doubled three times, Danny Espinosa had an RBI double and even Roark himself pitched in with an RBI single.
Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang, left, of South Korea, left, prepares to tag out Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper, right, on a hit by Anthony Rendon during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 16, 20…
The Rays (34-55) have lost seven straight and a franchise-record 23 of their last 26. Overall on the year, the Pirates were 46-44, seven wins shy of their record at this point last season. Roark threw eight shutout innings and the Nats gave Roark some early run support against Pittsburgh Pirates starter Gerrit Cole in his return to Pittsburgh’s rotation. “If I made one quality pitch I followed it up with a subpar (one)”, he said.
Strasburg (13-0) allowed one run and three hits with six strikeouts. He has lasted seven innings in just two of 13 starts this season. Rube Marquard set the all-time Major League Baseball mark with a 19-0 start in 1912. Washington All-Star 2B Daniel Murphy (hamstring) sat out the last two games and is day-to-day.3.
Cole is 5-4 with a 2.77 ERA and has been out since June 11 with a right triceps strain. Cole entered Saturday 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three career starts against the Nationals. Cole intentionally walked Danny Espinosa to load the bases with one out and bring Roark to the plate. “He got some big hits for us, he tied the game up off Liriano and then he got another hit that started a rally”. Well, that’s exactly what happened, as Murphy is day-to-day with a sore hamstring that he hurt playing in Tuesday’s game in San Diego. They’ve now won five in a row, and with both the Mets and Marlins losing tonight, they’ve opened up a seven-game lead in the NL East.
That Murphy’s injury occurred in the All-Star game, while unfortunate, doesn’t have Baker fretting over his players participating in the exhibition game.
Baker said the Pirates helped his team out with the errors, and Taylor made his aggressive at-bat count. “It’s hard to live your life wondering if you’re going to get hurt or not”. “I’m trying to go out there with the same game plan, the same plan of attack and focus on executing pitches”.
“It’s an absolute blast for everybody”, manager Clint Hurdle said. Polanco, out since July 8, is not expected to play Sunday, but Hurdle stated, “we’re optimistic” with his progress.
Kyle Hendricks allowed just three hits over six strong innings while the Chicago Cubs’ bats contributed with a five-run sixth in a 6-0 victory over the Texas Rangers.
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Nationals: RHP Scherzer (10-6, 3.03) makes his first start since appearing in the All-Star game. He threw a no-hitter against Pittsburgh on June 20, 2015.
