Nationals drop series opener to Miami, 6-4

The Washington Nationals needed a big start out of Tanner Roark. They didn’t get it. Roark gave up six runs on eight hits in five innings, and despite a stellar effort from the B bullpen and a late rally by the offense, the Nats fell to the Miami Marlins, 6-4, Thursday night at Nationals Park.

The loss drops Washington (75-71) eight full games behind the New York Mets in the National League East with 16 games to play.

Roark (4-6, 4.73 ERA) was touched up for four runs in the fifth, on a Dee Gordon sac fly RBI and a three-run homer by Justin Bour.

Ian Desmond accounted for all the offense for the Nationals, hitting a two-run homer, his 18^th, in the second, and a two-out, bases-loaded single in the eighth.

Bryce Harper was 2-for-4 at the plate to raise his National League-leading batting average to .340. Harper also leads the NL with 40 home runs and his .467 on-base percentage.