Washington Nationals claim NL East crown with 3-0 win
By Jake Misener
Seven shutout innings from Tanner Roark was all first-year manager Matt Williams could have asked for on Tuesday night in Atlanta, as the Washington Nationals did just enough offensively to take down the Braves 3-0, clinching the National League East crown for the second time in three seasons.
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Roark (14-10) allowed just five hits in the seven scoreless frames, striking out four and dropping his earned run average on the season to an impressive 2.85 across 192 1/3 innings of work. The right-hander has pitched into the sixth inning in every start he has made dating back to May 3 – although he is in his first full professional season.
Washington (87-63) scored for the first time in the top of the sixth inning, when Ian Desmond hit a two-run home run off Atlanta starter Aaron Harang (11-11), making it 2-0 in favor of the Nationals. A wild pitch by David Carpenter in the top of the ninth allowed Desmond to race home from third, giving the Nats an ultimately unnecessary insurance run.
After dropping eight of its first nine matchups with Atlanta this season, the Nationals have went on to win seven of the next 10. Desmond led the Nats with a pair of hits, including the aforementioned home run, as well as a double, and two RBIs.
Atlanta tallied just five hits in the loss, and did not draw a walk against Roark and a pair of Washington relievers – Tyler Clippard, who pitched a scoreless eighth, and Drew Storen, who closed the door in the ninth for his seventh save of the season.