WASHINGTON -- Tanner Roark pitches in a rotation with All-Stars Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer and still finds ways to stand out.Roark pitched eight-plus innings of five-hit ball and had an RBI single during a three-run fourth as the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0 on Saturday night.Roark (9-5) allowed five singles with one walk and five strikeouts in his longest start of the season. He started the ninth but left after allowing a single and hitting a batter.Oh, man. He was great, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said of Roark, who returned to Washingtons rotation after working as a reliever in 2015. What can you say? Hes given us everything we wanted.Anthony Rendon homered and drove in two runs. Second baseman Stephen Drew had three doubles and one RBI in place of NL batting leader Daniel Murphy. The Nationals have won five straight games, including two over the Pirates following the All-Star break, and 13 of 17.Baker stated a goal of having Washingtons record 20 games over .500 at some point this season. The latest victory did just that as the NL East leader improved to 56-36.The Pirates have dropped three in a row after a 9-1 stretch.Washington spoiled the return of Gerrit Cole (5-5) from the 15-day disabled list. The 2015 All-Star allowed five runs -- four earned -- and seven hits over four innings.I just didnt execute enough pitches, Cole said. If I made one quality pitch I followed it up with a subpar (pitch). ... I got crushed.Coles first major league appearance since June 10 was delayed 71 minutes by rain. Washington wasted little time scoring with single runs in the first and second innings plus three in the fourth for a 5-0 lead.Roark rarely faced trouble in recording his third win in four starts. The consistent right-hander pitched at least seven innings for the fifth straight outing.I pride myself ... on going as long as I can and as hard as I can, Roark said. Thats what starting pitchers are supposed to do.Andrew McCutchens second hit loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth, but reliever Blake Treinen completed Washingtons seventh shutout this season.Pittsburgh had three total runners reach in the second inning, but Roark deftly avoided damage with two groundouts including a double play on a ball hit by Sean Rodriguez.Rendons RBI single put Washington up 1-0 in the first. Back-to-back doubles by Drew and Danny Espinosa in the second added another run off Cole, a 19-game winner last season. He returned after missing several weeks with a right triceps strain. Cole entered Saturday 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three career starts against the Nationals.Pittsburgh second baseman Josh Harrison fielded Roarks bases loaded grounder in the fourth. Spinning around for the throw to first base, Harrisons toss sailed and landed in Washingtons dugout as two runs scored.Murphy has missed consecutive games with left hamstring tightness after suffering an injury in Tuesdays MLB All-Star game.GNAT FOR NATSMcCutchen has a hit in seven straight games against Washington, batting .360 (9 for 25) with one home run and four RBI in that stretch.LIFE HAPPENSThat Murphys injury occurred in the All-Star game, while unfortunate, doesnt have Baker fretting over his players participating in the exhibition game. He could have done it getting out of the bathtub, Baker said. Its hard to live your life wondering if youre going to get hurt or not. Youre just trying to not take any unnecessary risks.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: RF Gregory Polanco either will return to the lineup by Tuesday or be placed on the disabled list with left hamstring tightness, manager Clint Hurdle said. Polanco, out since July 8, is not expected to play Sunday, but Hurdle stated, Were optimistic with his progress.Nationals: Baker said he expects Murphy in Sundays lineup, but playing first base because its less grueling and twisting than at second base.UP NEXTPirates: RHP Chad Kuhl (1-0, 6.08 ERA) allowed four runs in 2 1/3 innings for a no-decision against the Cubs in his previous start on July 10.Nationals: RHP Scherzer (10-6, 3.03) makes his first start since appearing in the All-Star game. He threw a no-hitter against Pittsburgh on June 20, 2015. Air Jordan Sale . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Fake Jordan . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. https://www.wholesalejordanshoeschina.com/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. Discount Air Jordan . The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africas Allan Versfeld and Portugals Ricardo Santos. Cheap Air Jordan Online . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Chris Ashton has refused to give up hopes of an England recall, despite his latest lengthy suspension curtailing any slim chances of November Test action.The Saracens wing was last week banned for 13 weeks by the Rugby Football Union for biting Northampton front-rower Alex Waller.The 29-year-old continues to maintain his innocence, but admitted he will contest the matter no longer, instead focusing on fighting for a future in the Test arena.Ashton won the last of his 39 caps in June 2014, and missed any opportunity for a Six Nations recall earlier this year due to a 10-week ban for making contact with the eye of Ulster centre Luke Marshall in January.My clear ambition is first to regain my place in the Saracens team and then to regain my place in the England side, said Ashton, who is free to play again on December 19.It may seem a long journey back from the despair of last weeks judgement but I will do everything in my power to get back to where, in my heart, I feel I belong.Ashton was hit with two charges of biting Waller in Saracens 24-12 Aviva Premiership victory over Northampton on Saturday, September 17.The former Northampton wing was found guilty of one of those two charges in an RFU hearing last Tuesday, with Saracens later opting not to appeal the ruling.In admitting his frustrations with his latest sanction, Ashton paid tribute to the faith shown in him by Saraacens, while also setting his sights on an England recall.ddddddddddddEngland boss Eddie Jones has cooled his interest in the free-scoring Saracens flyer, who could find it a tall order to complete another Test-level comeback.It would be an understatement to say I was disappointed last week to be handed a 13-week ban by the RFU, my second significant ban of 2016, Ashton told Saracens official website.I told the disciplinary panel that I did not bite the Northampton prop, just as I had told the panel in January that I did not make contact with the eyes of the Ulster centre.Both panels chose to accept the opposing version of events. I did not agree with either verdict but I must and do accept the sanctions.There is no place for biting or gouging in rugby, and World Rugby are 100 percent correct in seeking to eradicate these actions.Rugby is a physical sport but it is also a fair sport; that is the way I have always played the game, and that is how I will continue to play the game.I would like to thank publicly Saracens for their support during these times, and I am wholly committed to repaying the faith of Nigel Wray, our chairman, and Mark McCall, our director of rugby, and all the other coaches, players and staff of this special organisation. ' ' '