Home Nationals top Pirates, 5-1: Strasburg improves to 13-0
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Nationals top Pirates, 5-1: Strasburg improves to 13-0

Chris Graham

stephen strasburg washington nationalsStephen Strasburg allowed three hits in eight innings and bunted in the go-ahead run in a 5-1 Washington Nationals win over Pittsburgh Friday night.

Strasburg (13-0, 2.51 ERA, 0.99 WHIP) struck out six and walked two in the win, on 105 pitches, 69 of them strikes.

His RBI sacrifice bunt keyed a four-run seventh-inning rally that snapped a 1-1 deadlock. Michael A. Taylor (.230/.276/.388, 7 HR, 14 RBI) added a two-run homer in the rally.

But the story was Strasburg, who has allowed five hits over his last three starts since coming off the disabled list on July 3.

The Nats (55-36) improved to 16-1 this season in Strasburg starts.

Daniel Murphy (.348/.387/.598, 17 HR, 66 RBI) was a late scratch after suffering a slight hamstring injury sliding into second base in the All-Star Game on Tuesday. He is listed as day-to-day and may not be in the lineup again on Saturday.

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].