Stephen Strasburg Outlasts Ricky Nolasco, Washington Nationals Win 4-0 Over Florida Marlins.

Tonight's Top 5: 

5. 34 Pitches: It takes Nats' right-hander Stephen Strasburg 34 pitches to get through the first inning in Florida tonight, as he struggles to locate his secondary pitches and even loses control of his fastball at times. A 6-pitch at bat against the '09 ROY Chris Coghlan ends with a groundout to Cristian Guzman at second. A 12-pitch AB against Gaby Sanchez, in which Sanchez fouls off five full-count fastballs and one change, ends with a walk on a curve low out of the zone. Sanchez takes second on a wild pitch by Strasburg with Hanley Ramirez up. Ramirez K's swinging at the 6th pitch he sees, a low 3-2 change that drops out of the zone under Ramirez's bat. Dan Uggla takes a 3-1 change high and inside and takes a two-out walk. Jorge Cantu takes three of the four pitches he sees, and ends up linigng out to right on the 6th pitch of the at bat, ending a long scoreless first. Five at bats, 34 pitches, the Marlins look to make the 21-year-old rookie right-hander work in the Florida heat. 

4. 8 Pitches: After struggling through the first inning, Strasburg settles down, allowing just three hits through 3.0 innings and retiring the Marlins in order in the fourth on only 8 pitches to keep the hope of the Nats' starter staying around a little longer tonight alive. Strasburg throws just 12 pitches in the fifth, striking out the opposing pitcher Ricky Nolasco to start the frame and then dropping a 1-2 change to get Gaby Sanchez chasing after a two-pitch at bat against Coghlan ended with a groundout to Adam Dunn at first. Strasburg throws 83 pitches through 5.0 scoreless innings...0-0 score after 5.0...

3. Nolasco Accepts Challenge: Through five innings, Ricky Nolasco's rolling, having thrown just 70 pitches to Strasburg's 83 and struck out 8 Nats, while giving up 4 hits, but no walks, stepping up the way every other opposing pitcher has when given the chance to face Strasburg, but Washington finally gets to him. Nyjer Morgan and Cristian Guzman single in succession to start the frame and Adam Dunn takes a two-out walk to load the bases for Josh Willingham, whose 3-run double to the right-center gap gives Strasburg the lead 6.0 innings into his eighth start. The Hammer takes third on a throw home to try for Dunn, then scores on a sac fly by Pudge, 4-0 Nats, and Nolasco's suddenly done...Nolasco's Line: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 K's, 93 pitches, 61 strikes, 4 groundouts, 3 flyouts.

2. 99 Pitches (100?): Pitch no.99 tonight is a brutal two-strike curve to Cody Ross that ends the Marlins' sixth and Strasburg's night. After a 34-pitch first inning, Strasburg needs just 65 pitches to get through the next five innings as he holds the Fish to 4 hits and 3 walks through 6.0 innings pitched in which he strikes out 7 and gets 7 groundouts, and 3 flyouts on 99 pitches, 63 strikes. After the win, Strasburg, (4-2), has thrown 48.2 IP over 8 starts since his June 8th debut, and the 21-year-old right-hander given up 14 walks (2.59 BB/9) while recording 68 K's (12.58 K/9).

1. 3rd Shutout? Do you remember the other two shutouts by the Nationals this season? Check after the game report for the answers...

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• Final Score: Nats 4, Marlins 0. 

Nationals now 40-50.

FULL GAME REPORT: 

1 - Nyjer Morgan pops up to Marlins' catcher Ronny Paulino on the first pitch of the second-half. Florida starter Ricky Nolasco gets a grounder to second from Cristian Guzman. Ryan Zimmerman lines to left for a two-out single and Adam Dunn beats the dramatic shift with a grounder to right through the overloaded defense. Josh Wililngham goes down looking at an 84 mph curve, here comes Strasburg...Chris Coghlan grounds a 2-2 pitch to second for Nats' starter Stephen Strasburg's first out. Gaby Sanchez works the count full, fouls off a few and takes a 12-pitch walk. Strasburg throws a wild pitch by Pudge Rodriguez. Sanchez to second. Hanley Ramirez K's swinging over a 3-2 change from Stras. Two down. Dan Uggla takes a change inside for a two-out walk. Jorge Cantu flies out to right, crisis averted.

2 - Pudge Rodriguez flies out to Cody Ross in center, one down. Roger Bernadina works the count full and K's swinging. Ian Desmond chases a nasty two-strike bender outside. 1-2-3 second for Nolasco...Cody Ross vs Strasburg to start the Marlins' second. Line drive single to right on a 1-2 change. Strasburg gets a long fly to Bernadina in right center from Mike Stanton for the first out. Ronny Paulino takes a 1-2 fastball up high for a ride to center and a one-out single. Ricky Nolasco gets the sac bunt down. Second and third, Chris Coghlan grounds to first to end the Nats' second.

3 - Strasburg starts the third at the plate. Swinging K, one down. Nyjer Morgan tries to bunt his way on, Paulino's all over it. Two down. Cristian Guzman grounds out to second, 0-0 in the third...Gaby Sanchez flies to short center for Nyjer Morgan. Hanley Ramirez walks, but gets thrown out by Pudge trying to steal second. Dan Uggla rips a two-out single through short. Jorge Cantu chases a high fastball for a swinging strike three. 

4 - Ryan Zimmerman flies to left, down the line, Chris Coghlan races over a dives to rob Zim of extra bases. Adam Dunn lines a single to right with one down. Josh Willingham K's chasing a breaking ball outside. Two down. Pudge Rodriguez K's swinging to end the Nats' fourth...Cody Ross K's swinging to start the Fish fourth. Mike Stanton grounds out to second, two down. Ronny Paulino grounds to short. 0-0 score after four. 

5 - Roger Bernadina ground out to Jorge Cantu at third on the first pitch of the fifth. Ian Desmond makes a hesitant bunt attempt that dies in the dirt down the line. That's a hit. Strasburg K's swinging with Desmond running and it's a strike'em out, throw'em out to end the inning, 0-0 in the fifth...Ricky Nolasco K's swinging. Chris Coghlan grounds out to Adam Dunn at first, two down. Gaby Sanchez gets a filthy 1-2 change outside and it's scoreless after five. 

6 - Nyjer Morgan lines to left for a leadoff single. Cristian Guzman lines over second. Two on, no outs. Ryan Zimmerman K's when he fouls a 94mph two-strike fastball into Ronny Paulino's mitt. Adam Dunn takes ball three for a full count and Morgan steals third on the pitch. One-out walk to Dunn, bases loaded for Willingham. Josh Willingham, after K'ing chasing benders in his first two at bats, doubles to right center, splitting the gap for a 3-0 lead and the end of Nolasco's night. Brian Sanches on. Hammer on third after taking the base on the throw home to try for Dunn. Pudge's sac fly scores the Nats' 4th run, 4-0 DC. Roger Bernadina grounds to second to end the top of the sixth...Hanley Ramirez reaches first safely, beating the throw that Dunn drops anyway. Dan Uggla chases a two-strike heater upstairs. Jorge Cantu grounds to second, Hanley Ramirez beats Guzman to second, but the throw to first is in time. Cody Ross K's looking at a two-strike bender that drops in for strike three. 

7 - Ian Desmond K's swinging over a splitter, one down. Alberto Gonzalez hits for Strasburg, and doubles off the wall in left with one down. Taylor Tankersley takes over. Nyjer Morgan flies to center. Two down. Marlins' rookie Jhan Marinez gets a fly ball to center out of Cristian Guzman to end the Nats' seventh...Drew Storen pops Mike Stanton up with a 2-0 fastball. Ronny Paulino works the count full and K's looking at a 94mph heater. Pinch hitter Mike Lamb flies to center, 1-2-3 seventh for Storen. 

8 - Burke Badenhop gets a grounder to third from Ryan Zimmerman. Adam Dunn flies out to Coghlan in left, two down. Josh Willingham grounds out to Cantu, 4-0 Nats in the eighth...Drew Storen's back out for more. Chris Coghlan lines out to second. One down. Gaby Sanchez grounds back to the mound. Storen walks Hanley Ramirez with two down. Dan Uggla pops out to the infield, neither Hanley or Uggla run it out.

9 - Jorge Cantu throws out Pudge on a grounder to third. Roger Bernadina lines to left, two down. Ian Desmond flies out to center to end the Nats' ninth...Matt Capps gets a fly ball to center from Jorge Cantu, one down. Cody Ross pops out to short, two down. Mike Stanton works the count full and walks with two down. Ronny Paulino grounds to second, Alberto Gonzalez stabs it and tosses to second, ballgame. 4-0 Nats win. 

1. 3 Shutouts?: Strasburg throws 6.0 scoreless. Strasburg's fellow '09 1st Round pick, Drew Storen tosses two quick frames without allowing a run, and the winning pitcher for the National League in the historic 2010 MLB All-Star Game, Nats' closer Matt Capps comes on in the non-save situation and gives up a two-out walk before completing the combined shutout for the Nationals' 40th win of the season. The shutout is the nats' third this season...The first? Saturday April 17th at home in Nationals Park when Livan Hernandez threw a complete game 8-0 shutout of the Milwaukee Brewers on 112 pitches. Shutout no.2 of 2010 for the Nats? April 25, 2010, when Nats' lefty Scott Olsen struck out 8 LA Dodgers over 7.0 innings pitched and handed the ball to Tyler Clippard for the scoreless eighth and Matt Capps for the ninth and the save in the 1-0 win over Los Angeles. 71 games later, the Nats get their third shutout...