Strasburg leaves early, Nats lose to Reds, 5-2
Stephen Strasburg left in the second inning with an apparent neck strain, and Cincinnati took advantage of the Johnny Allstaff day for the Nats bullpen in a 5-2 win Friday night.
Strasburg gave up a Joey Votto solo homer in the first, and left in the bottom of the second after walking Bryan Pena to lead off the inning.
It was the fourth time in five starts that Strasburg failed to reach the fifth inning.
Taylor Jordan took over, and had things under control into the sixth. Up 2-1 after sixth-inning RBI singles by Ian Desmond and Wilson Ramos, Jordan (0-1) gave up three runs in the sixth. A Brandon Phillips sacrifice fly tied the game at 2-2, and RBI singles by Billy Hamilton and Zach Cozart gave the Reds the lead for good.
Todd Frazier homered in the seventh off Blake Treinen for a key insurance run.
Anthony DeSclafini (3-4) got the win for Cincinnati, giving up two runs on eight hits in six innings of work, striking out one and walking two.
Washington (28-20) maintains a one and a half game lead over the New York Mets atop the National League East. The Mets lost to Miami on Friday, 4-3.
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