Harper's 2 RBIs, Zimmerman's HR Lead Nats Over Marlins 6-4
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Bryce Harper had two RBIs and a nice ninth-inning catch, Ryan Zimmerman homered and Tanner Roark recovered from a shaky start to go six innings, leading the Washington Nationals past the Miami Marlins 6-4 Wednesday night.
Roark (1-0) allowed two runs in the first inning, then hit two men and threw a wild pitch in the second, but he wound up retiring 13 of the last 14 batters he faced.
The reliever who replaced him to begin the seventh, Enny Romero, plunked Derek Dietrich, which led to some jawing between the two and the ejection of Marlins manager Don Mattingly. Dietrich also was hit by Roark.
Blake Treinen pitched the ninth for his second save, striking out Christian Yelich with a man aboard to end it after giving up a run.
Zimmerman's opposite-field shot in the second off a high fastball from Dan Straily (0-1) put Washington on the board.
The Nationals went up 5-2 by batting around in a four-run fourth that featured Harper's RBI double down the right field line, Daniel Murphy's run-scoring single to center and Matt Wieters' two-run single through a hole opened at shortstop by a defensive shift.
That was it for Straily, whose Marlins debut lasted only 3 1/3 innings. He gave up five runs and six hits, walked two and didn't strike out anyone.
Harper's single in the fifth off Nick Wittgren made it 6-2. In the season's opening two games, both wins, Harper is 3 for 7 with two extra-base hits and three RBIs.
Wieters went 3 for 3 with a walk Wednesday.
Roark allowed two runs and three hits, striking out six and walking two. He did not benefit from the usual amount of exhibition work, his preseason innings reduced by participating in the World Baseball Classic and a rainout of what was supposed to be his final tuneup.
The rust showed early: Six of Miami's first 10 batters reached base, Marcell Ozuna drove in two with a single and Roark needed 46 pitches just to get through two innings.
J.T. Realmuto homered off Romero in the eighth.
Joe Blanton and Oliver Perez got the three outs in that inning, and Treinen finished up, with the help of Harper's grab of Adeiny Hechavarria's sinking liner.
DUSTY'S DAY OFF
Nationals managed Dusty Baker liked the idea of having a day off Tuesday, right after finally getting the regular season going with Game 1 on Monday.
"I got a chance to go by Whole Foods and go by Harris Teeter and wash some clothes and do a little laundry and go to the bank," Baker said.
"It didn't bother me a bit," he said, before delivering his punch line: "What bothered me was folding clothes."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: Martin Prado, who injured his right hamstring playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, might be able to come off the disabled list when Miami returns home after a season-opening six-game road trip.
Nationals: Anthony Rendon went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in his season debut. He sat out opening day after fouling a ball off his calf during spring training.
UP NEXT
The three-game series wraps up Thursday — weather permitting; the forecast calls for rain — with Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez facing Marlins RHP Tom Koehler.
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