Harper doubles in return, Roark pitches Nats past Braves

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WASHINGTON (AP) – Bryce Harper hit an RBI double in his return to the lineup, Tanner Roark won his fourth straight start and the Washington Nationals defeated the Atlanta Braves 9-1 Sunday.

Anthony Rendon homered and drove in four runs. Chris Heisey added a solo home run.

Harper had missed five straight games with a neck injury. The reigning NL MVP was set to sit out another, too, and wasn’t in the original lineup – the Nationals issued a revised lineup 90 minutes before the scheduled start and Harper was in right field.

Harper doubled in the first inning, finished 1 for 3 with a walk and scored twice, a day after general manager Mike Rizzo said results of an MRI on Harper’s neck came back “clean.”

Roark (13-6) allowed one run over seven innings while the Nationals tagged Braves starter Tyrell Jenkins (2-3).

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