Nationals sweep doubleheader against Braves

WASHINGTON: Tanner Roark threw seven shutout innings as the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 4-0 to sweep a day-night doubleheader Tuesday, ensuring the Braves leave Washington without the NL East title.
Roark (7-0) allowed just two hits, struck out six and retired the final 13 batters he faced.
Ryan Zimmerman hit a home run, Ian Desmond an RBI double and Adam LaRoche an RBI single in the eighth inning. Steve Lomardozzi had a second-inning RBI single off Freddy Garcia (1-2).
Washington entered the nightcap, which followed the Nationals' 6-5 win in the makeup of a series opener postponed by a shooting rampage a day earlier at the nearby Navy Yard, within 4½ games of Cincinnati for the NL's second wild-card berth. The Nationals, who have won 10 of 11, have 11 games remaining.
Craig Kimbrel had converted 37 consecutive save chances since early May, and Andrelton Simmons began the day with the second-best fielding percentage among National League shortstops. But they conspired to blow a three-run lead in the ninth inning of the first game.
Kimbrel (3-3), who leads the major leagues with 47 saves, blew a save chance for just the fourth time this season.
Padres 5 Pirates 2: In PIttsburgh, Jedd Gyorko blasted a three-run homer among his three hits for San Diego.
Ronny Cedeno added three hits for San Diego, which beat the Pirates for the second straight game to put a dent in Pittsburgh's pursuit of its first NL Central title. St. Louis and Pittsburgh entered the day tied for first in the division.
Luke Gregerson worked the ninth for his fourth save.
Eric Stults (9-13) allowed two runs over five innings to pick up his first win in more than two months. Stults struck out five and walked one.
Andrew McCutchen went 2 for 3 and Marlon Byrd drove in both of Pittsburgh's runs.
Jeff Locke (10-6) allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings, striking out five and walking three.
Phillies 6 Marlins 4: In Philadelhia, Chase Utley hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs and Roy Halladay tossed six effective innings as Philadelphia beat Florida.
Halladay (4-4) allowed one run and four hits in his fifth start after returning from right shoulder surgery. The two-time Cy Young Award winner didn't top 88 mph and relied on guile to get outs.
The top three hitters in Philadelphia's lineup — Cesar Hernandez, Jimmy Rollins and Utley — were 8 for 12 with four RBIs and six runs.
Jonathan Papelbon allowed an RBI single to Giancarlo Stanton before finishing for his 28th save in 35 chances.
Marlins starter Brian Flynn (0-2) gave up six runs and 11 hits in six innings.
Juan Pierre, pinch-hitting for Flynn in the seventh, hit a double to right for his 2,215th career hit, tying him with Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio for 175th on the all-time list.