L East-leading Nationals win the division.August is a grinder month, Roark said. Everybody has to stay locked in. We all have

PHILADELPHIA -- Tanner Roark wont fly under the radar the way hes pitching.Roark threw seven impressive innings, Jayson Werth hit a solo homer and the Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-0 on Monday night.Roark (14-7) allowed four singles and struck out five. Marc Rzepczynski tossed a perfect eighth and Mark Melancon finished off the four-hitter.It would be fine if people dont notice because maybe he can surprise some people, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. I dont think he really cares. He just wants the victories.The wins are piling up for Roark, who went from winning 15 games in 2014 to pitching in relief last year. Hes more focused on helping the NL East-leading Nationals win the division.August is a grinder month, Roark said. Everybody has to stay locked in. We all have bumps and bruises but we have to keep going.Phillies rookie Jake Thompson (1-4) allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings. It was the longest and best of his five career starts.Werth lined a solo shot to left in the first against his former team. It was his third homer in four games. A member of Philadelphias 2008 World Series championship team, Werth was greeted by boos, as usual.Home runs come in streaks. When you start hitting a couple, you think about it, Baker said. I knew he was locked in watching him in BP. He was hitting them out and keeping them low.Bryce Harper raced home from first on Anthony Rendons single to left-center to make it 2-0 in the first. Clint Robinson and Trea Turner had RBI singles off Frank Herrmann in the ninth.Thompson settled in nicely after a rough start. His last pitch was a nasty curve that froze Turner for strike three.It was night and day from my performance in the first four (starts), Thompson said. Its kind of a relief. It feels a lot better.Roark didnt need much support. The righty stifled the Phillies again. Hes 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA against them this season.The Nationals snapped a two-game losing streak. They have a nine-game lead over the Marlins and Mets.DIVISION DOMINANCEWashington is 36-16 against the rest of the NL East. Its the best division record in the majors.ROSTER MOVESOF Michael A. Taylor was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse by the Nationals. RHP Lucas Giolito was optioned down.ODUBEL ON THE MOVEPhillies All-Star CF Odubel Herrera will likely play a corner outfield spot in winter ball. Manager Pete Mackanin has been impressed with Aaron Altherr in center and prospect Roman Quinn also plays there.TRAINERS ROOMNationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg threw a bullpen session one week after he was placed on the DL with elbow soreness. Strasburg is expected to return to the rotation when hes eligible.UP NEXTRHP Max Scherzer (14-7) starts for the Nationals against RHP Jerad Eickhoff (9-12) on Tuesday night. Scherzer is 6-1 against the Phillies in nine career starts. Eickhoff had 10 strikeouts in his only career start vs. Washington on Sept. 25, 2015. Bismack Biyombo Jersey . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. Alonzo Mourning Hornets Jersey . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. http://www.hornetsteamproshop.com/Customized/ . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short. Marvin Williams Hornets Jersey . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. Nicolas Batum Hornets Jersey . I cant pinpoint a date, but I do remember a player from my youth. Brian Downing was with the Chicago White Sox at a time when I listened to every game I possibly could on the radio. That particular season the late great Harry Caray was calling the White Sox games. HOUSTON -- Houstons DeAndre Hopkins was among three NFL players to receive the first pairs of low-top Kanye West-designed Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 cleats on Friday.It was a surprise to me, Hopkins told The Associated Press. It wasnt really nothing thought of or something we talked about. Last night they texted me and were like: `We have a surprise for you coming. And thats what it was.As Hopkins talked, the pair of shoes in the popular turtle dove color sat at his feet near the cleats he wore for practice.The special delivery from West went to Adidas athletes Hopkins, Minnesotas Adrian Peterson and Buffalos Sammy Watkins. They were sent a day after Denvers Von Miller wore Yeezy 750s , which are high top and look more like a boot, in Thursday nights game against Carolina that opened the NFL regular season.Hes a big guy, he kind of needs that ankle support, Hopkins said of Millers shoes. These are more my cleats and what I wear is the same as the Adidas cleats, and they just kind of put the Yeezy cover on it. I like Vons, but I prefer these.Hopkins has tried the shoes on and said they feel just the same as my (regular) cleats if not a little bit better.The star receiver, who was second in the NFL with a career-high 11,521 yards receiving last season, wants to wear them on Sunday when Houston opens the season against the Bears.dddddddddddd But he is worried that the color, which unlike Millers pair is not a solid tone, wont be NFL approved.Hopefully somebody doesnt tell me I cant wear them, he said. Im going to still wear them if they do.Then he thought about it for a minute and waffled a little on his plan when asked again if hed wear them even if it would earn him a fine.I dont know, he said. It depends on how much the fine is.Hopkins posted a pic of the cleats on Instagram that quickly received thousands of likes.Just posting a picture, the whole world loves `em, he said. So you can just imagine what would happen if I wear them in in the game.Hopkins is perhaps the most fashion-conscious player in Houstons locker room and is always looking for new ways to push the envelope on his style. This, he said, is simply another way to do that.Youve got to be yourself on the field and I think this is a way of being yourself, he said.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '