Robinson Is 'Concerned About Ohka'

Tomo Ohka has had only three starts, but the 29-year-old right-hander has shown enough to worry Washington Nationals Manager Frank Robinson.

Although he kept Florida scoreless Monday night through four innings, Ohka allowed two runs in the fifth, and two more in the sixth before he got an out. He walked five Marlins on Monday, and has given 12 free passes in 17 innings.

“I am concerned about Ohka because we need him in the rotation,” Robinson said, “and he hasn’t had what I would call a quality start. It’s been very shaky.

“It just gives the other team countless opportunities and it keeps your defense on their heels because they are not as alert as they would be if you are throwing strikes. We will try to figure it out, get him ready for his next start and hopefully he will be better.”

Ohka is 1-2 with a 4.76 earned run average.

Taking Good With Bad

In just his second start Monday night, catcher Gary Bennett threw out two runners attempting to steal, and nabbed another trying to take a base on a pitch that got away. But Bennett also made a throwing error, mishandled a bunt by pitcher Dontrelle Willis, and committed a passed ball that allowed Willis to score.

“He looked brilliant in the first inning,” Robinson said. “I knew he wasn’t that good. Then he came along and made two errors. I know he’s not that bad. He is somewhere in between.”