According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article on Saturday entitled, "Strasburg targeted for Triple-A", the Washington Nationals' '09 no.1 overall pick, pitcher Stephen Strasburg would be making the jump from Double-A Harrisburg to Triple-A Syracuse this week, "...provided the weather is good for Sunday's game and he dominates on the mound." In Strasburg's fifth start for the Harrisburg Senators, the 21-year-old right-hander ran into an Altoona Curve team that was determined to spoil Strasburg's going away party in front of a packed house in the Senators' home, Metro Bank Park in Harrisburg, PA. Strasburg ends up going 4.2 innings, giving up 6 hits, 3 walks and 4 runs, 3 ER, with 1 HBP and 4 K's. Strasburg throws 79 pitches total, 49 for strikes.

WTOP Radio (103.5) in DC's Craig Heist (@cheist) was watching in Harrisburg, and reported via Twitter that, "Of the 22 batters Strasburg faced, he was behind on 9 of them." MLB.com's Zach Schonbrun writes in a post game article entitled, "Strasburg endures first shaky start", that Strasburg's troubles could be traced to, "...a tight strike zone by umpire Jon Byrne, a trigger-happy Curve lineup, and some uncharacteristic wildness," from Strasburg. Strasburg suffers his first loss, and if he's done in Double-A after today, he finishes his time with the Senators with a (3-1) record in 5 starts and 22.0 IP over which he gives up 7 hits, 9 runs, 4 earned and 6 walks (2.45 BB/9) with 27 K's (11.05 K/9) collected. 

• Pitch by Pitch (-1) after the JUMP..

Strasburg vs d'Arnaud: 

-- FB 97 called strike. 

-- popped foul. 97 mph FB. 

-- FB, ball, 1-2. 

-- Curve ball for swinging K. 

Strasburg vs Gorkys Hernandez - 

-- FB bounced to second. Two down. 

Strasburg vs Mercer:

-- Curve 81 mph, 0-1.

-- FB 97 mph ground to mound. Three outs.

Strasburg vs Hague: 

-- FB 97, ball 1-0.

-- FB strike 97, 1-1. 

-- Curve, low 81 mph. 2-1.

-- High FB, 3-1. 

-- FB, Ball four low on check swing. 

Strasburg vs Negrych: 

-- FB strike, 0-1. 

-- Change, 88 mph strike, 0-2. 

-- 0-2 low, change. 1-2. 

-- Curve, grounder to short, infield hit. 

Strasburg vs Durham: 

 

-- FB, 97 mph strike 0-1. 

-- Curve low, 1-1. 

-- Single to short left, bases loaded. 

Strasburg vs Presley:

-- FB inside, 97 mph, 1-0.

-- 1-0, fouled FB, 1-1. 

-- Chopper for a single, two runs score 2-1 Curve. 

Strasburg vs Watt: 

-- FB Ball, 0-1. 

-- FB, 99 mph strike 1-1.

-- Change high, 2-1. 

-- FB low, 3-1. 

-- Low, ball four. Walk. 

Strasburg vs Justin Wilson: 

-- 96 mph FB 0-1.

-- low, ball FB, 1-1. 

-- 96 mph FB, swinging strike, 1-2. 

-- Called strike three FB. One out. 

Strasburg vs D'Arnaud: 

- Curve, low outside, 1-0. 

- Grounder to Espinosa to second, Marrero to first and it gets by Marrero, two runs score. 4-1 Curve. 

Strasburg vs Gorkys Hernandez: 

-- Fouled FB, 0-1.

-- FB inside ball, 1-1. 

-- FB up and in, 2-1. 

-- Grounder to second, three outs. 4-1 after two.

Strasburg vs Mercer: 

-- FB, high 95 mph 1-0.

-- FB low, 2-0.

-- FB, 96 mph strike, 2-1. 

-- FB, low 3-1. 

-- Popped foul. Full count, 3-2. 

-- FB, 97 mph fouled off. 

-- FB high, walk.

Strasburg vs Hague: 

-- FB, ball 1-0.

-- Curve, strike 1-1. 

-- FB ground to second, they drop it. Two on. 

Strasburg vs Negrych: 

-- High outside, 1-0. 

-- Swinging strike FB, 1-1. 

-- 96 mph fastball, swinging K, 1-2. 

-- FB inside, 2-2. 

-- Fly ball to left, Rhinehart catch, 1 out. 

Strasburg vs Durham:

-- Curve, low ball 80 mph, 1-0. 

-- FB low, 2-0. 

-- Change for Strike, 2-1. 

-- Change, inside 3-1. 

-- Grounder to short, Espinosa to Martinez to Marrero, 6-4-3, DP.

Strasburg vs Presley: 

-- Low FB, ball 1-0. 

-- FB, strike, 1-1. 

-- Grounder, foul, FB 1-2. 

-- FB Fouled, 1-2. 

-- Grounder foul, still 1-2. 

-- Fouled off, FB - 1-2. 

-- Fouled off, FB, 1-2. 

-- Ball FB outside, 2-2. 

-- FB, strike three swinging. 

Strasburg vs Watts:

-- FB strike 0-1.

-- Fly ball out, two down. 

Strasburg vs Wilson:

-- FB, 95 mph fastball, strike, 0-1. 

-- 96 mph FB, strike, 0-2. 

-- 97 strike three swinging. 

Strasburg vs d'Arnaud:

-- HBP on shoulder. 

Strasburg vs Hernandez: 

-- FB, bunt single. Two on. 

Strasburg vs Mercer:

-- Line drive single to RF, bases loaded. 

Strasburg vs Hague: 

-- Curve, 78 mph strike. 0-1.

-- 87 mph change, swinging strike, 0-2.

-- FB high, 1-2. 

-- Grounder to third, home to first, double play. 5-2-3.