WASHINGTON _ Saturday night at Nationals Park looked a lot like the evening before. Another dominant outing by a Washington Nationals starter. Another inning where defensive mistakes led to runs. Saturday, the Pirates could counter not with one of their struggling starters but with Gerrit Cole, back after missing more than a month. It wasn't enough.
The Pirates lost for the second night in a row, 6-0, unable to solve Nationals starter Tanner Roark. The Pirates fell to 46-45, 2{ games out of a wild-card spot, and Sunday's task doesn't get any easier with Max Scherzer on the mound.
Roark was masterful in his eight scoreless innings, during which he allowed five singles and a walk. He stranded runners on the corners after consecutive singles in the second. A double play erased a leadoff walk in the second, and Sean Rodriguez's two-out single in the seventh went nowhere. Roark pitched seven or more innings for the fifth start in a row.
He and Stephen Strasburg combined to pitch 16 innings of one-run ball in the first two games of the series.
Saturday resembled Friday in another way: The bottom of the Nationals' lineup continued to produce. Stephen Drew doubled three times, Danny Espinosa hit an RBI double, and the bottom four hitters had six hits and three runs.
For the second night in a row, the Pirates infield defense had issues. Saturday, they began in the fourth.
Clint Robinson led off the home fourth with a single. After an out, Stephen Drew doubled for the second time. Cole intentionally walked Danny Espinosa to load the bases with one out and bring Roark to the plate.
Roark bounced a grounder to the right side, forcing Josh Harrison to range to his left. He fielded, spun and threw wide of first, into the Nationals dugout. Two runs scored.
The infielders came in with runners on second and third. Jordy Mercer charged Ben Revere's slow roller and threw home, but too late, and Washington led 5-0.
That inning ended Cole's night. In four innings he allowed five runs, four earned, and seven hits, three for extra bases.
The previous time Cole took the mound in the majors, June 10, his right triceps tightened between the second and third inning. Diagnosed with a strain and placed on the disabled list, Cole progressed from carefully monitored catch, using radar guns to gauge effort, to bullpen sessions and simulated games.
In two rehab outings with Class AAA Indianapolis, he pitched eight scoreless innings and struck out 12 batters without issuing a walk. Saturday, he walked the second batter he faced.
After Jayson Werth walked with one out in the first, Werth stole second. He had only attempted four steals prior to Saturday and converted three of them.
Bryce Harper's single put runners on the corners, and Anthony Rendon's hit drove in a run.
Consecutive doubles from Drew and Espinosa in the second inning resulted in another run and forced Cole to throw 41 pitches through two innings.
A.J. Schugel relieved Cole in the fifth and allowed a solo homer to Rendon. Jon Niese made his first appearance out of the bullpen, pitching two scoreless innings.
