Major League Baseball

Roark pitches 7 innings, Nationals defeat winless Braves 3-0

Published Apr. 13, 2016 10:50 p.m. ET

foxsports

WASHINGTON (AP) Tanner Roark pitched seven innings, Stephen Drew and Jayson Werth hit fourth-inning home runs and the Washington Nationals defeated the winless Atlanta Braves 3-0 on Wednesday night for their fourth straight victory.

Roark, who moved up a day when scheduled starter Stephen Strasburg was scratched due to illness, allowed four hits and three walks. Pitching on five days of rest, Roark (1-1) struck out four and left after 100 pitches.

Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

The Braves (0-8) are off to their worst start since opening the 1988 season with 10 losses.

Washington got three runs and four hits in six innings against Atlanta starter Matt Wisler (0-1).

The Braves were without outfielder Hector Olivera, who was placed on paid administrative leave by Major League Baseball after he was arrested and charged with assaulting a woman at a hotel outside Washington.