Nationals edge Pirates for second straight victory

WASHINGTON — Tanner Roark pitched seven efficient innings and drove in his first run since 2016, and the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 on Monday night.

Roark (2-2) allowed two runs on six hits, struck out four and induced two double-play grounders for his first win since April 2 as the Nationals ended a disappointing April with their second straight victory.

Starting pitcher Jameson Taillon (2-3) drove in the first run for the Pirates with a two-out double to deep left-center in the fifth. He worked six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, as NL Central-leading Pittsburgh lost for the first time since his previous start. The Pirates had won five straight.

Bryce Harper drew two intentional walks and struck out twice in four plate appearances. The former MVP now has 38 walks and eight intentional passes this season, both tops in the majors, as the injury-depleted Nationals have struggled to protect him in the lineup.

Harper's first intentional walk came in the third after he had worked the count to 2-1 with Trea Turner on second base. Taillon then struck out Howie Kendrick — who went 0-for-4 while batting cleanup for the third time this season — and Matt Adams to end the threat.

Batting in the fourth with runners on first and second, Roark bunted the first pitch foul. Then he pulled the bat back as Taillon threw a wild pitch, allowing the runners to advance. Roark hit the next pitch up the middle to score Matt Wieters and put the Nationals ahead 2-1, his second hit this season and his fifth career RBI. Turner followed with a run-scoring single, one of his three hits on the night.

Corey Dickerson homered to deep left leading off the seventh to pull the Pirates within one. Roark then retired the next three batters, fanning the final two.

Ryan Madson retired the side in the eighth and Brandon Kintzler worked the ninth for his first save in place of regular closer Sean Doolittle, who had pitched in the previous three games.

Wilmer Difo had two hits and drove in Washington's first run with a second-inning single. CHICAGO — Jon Lester pitched effectively into the sixth inning, continuing an impressive stretch for Chicago's rotation and helping the Cubs beat the Colorado Rockies for their season-high fifth straight victory.

Lester allowed two runs and five hits, struck out five and walked three. Luke Farrell (1-0) worked 1 1/3 innings of perfect relief for his first career win, and Steve Cishek got two outs for his first save.

CINCINNATI — Homers by Manny Pina and Lorenzo Cain ended the Milwaukee Brewers' historically bad slump, and Domingo Santana doubled home the go-ahead runs in the seventh inning Monday night for a victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

The Brewers managed only two runs while getting swept four games at Wrigley Field, matching their lowest total for a four-game series. They had 14 hits total, their worst for such a series, and were blanked on two hits in each of the last two games.

Pina ended their streak of 23 scoreless innings with a solo homer in the fourth off lefthander Brandon Finnegan, who hasn't won in more than a year. Cain added a two-run shot in the fifth, and the Brewers overcame a 5-3 deficit in the seventh to stop their losing streak at four games.

MIAMI — Brian Anderson homered, drove in four runs and made a diving catch in right field with the bases loaded to preserve a lead, helping the Miami Marlins beat Jake Arrieta and the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Marlins have won three games in a row for the first time this season, and five of six. The Phillies lost their third consecutive game.

Arrieta (3-1) lasted only 3 2/3 innings. He allowed six earned runs after giving up three or fewer in each of his past 18 starts.

The Marlins reached him for eight hits, including five doubles. They came into the game with 29 doubles, last in the majors.

Anderson hit a two-run double in the third, the first of his three hits, and added a Stanton-esque two-run homer high off the home run sculpture in the seventh. Just as impressive was the rookie's lunging, backhand catch with one out in the seventh, which helped Kyle Barraclough escape a jam as the Marlins retained a 6-4 lead.