Strasburg, Harper, lead Nationals to 10-5 win at San Diego

Stephen Strasburg got back into the win column, and Bryce Harper, yawn, homered again, and the Washington Nationals defeated the San Diego Padres, 10-5, on Sunday afternoon on the Left Coast.

Strasburg (3-4) wasn’t exactly dominant, giving up three runs on five hits in five-plus innings, striking out seven and walking one. But the Nats, after a slow start, got the offense going in the middle innings, putting up three runs in the fifth, four in the sixth and three in the seventh, that last bunch coming on Harper’s 14th homer of the season, a three-run shot down the left-field line.

Harper had three hits on the day, and finished a double short of hitting for the cycle.

Ian Kennedy (2-3) took the loss for San Diego. After throwing four hitless innings at the outset, Kennedy was touched up for six runs on three hits in the fifth and sixth.

The Nats (22-17) remain a half-game back of the first-place New York Mets in the National League East.

Washington has gone 15-4 since ending a six-game losing streak with a 13-12 come-from-behind win in Atlanta on April 28.