Nationals’ lineup for series finale with the Rockies: Stephen Strasburg tries to avoid third straight loss...

After going undefeated in seventeen starts to begin the season, at (13-0) with a 2.51 ERA and a .195/.258/.307 line against in 114 ⅔ innings pitched, Stephen Strasburg has dropped three of five heading into this afternoon’s 3:10 PM EDT series finale with the Colorado Rockies in Coors Field.

Over his last five starts and 29 IP, the 28-year-old right-hander was (2-3) with a 5.28 ERA and a .248/.295/.460 line against going into this afternoon’s matchup.

In his last two outings before today’s, the ‘09 No. 1 overall pick gave up 15 hits and 10 earned runs in 10 IP, with opposing hitters putting up a .341/.375/.682 line against him.

“This happens no matter who you are,” Dusty Baker told reporters after Strasburg’s loss to the Braves last weekend in the nation’s capital.

“I think [Jake] Arrieta had four or five tough outings,” Baker said, “but now he got his stuff back together again. These things happen. He is not infallible. He’s human and sometimes you hit a bad period of time like this.”

“Just can’t really worry about the last start,” Strasburg said, as quoted by MASN’s Mark Zuckerman after the loss. “Just try to make the improvements. I really didn’t feel like I executed as well as I did in the last start. They just put some good swings on the ball.”

The back-to-back losses were the first Strasburg suffered since early May 2015.

He hasn’t three in a row since July 18-29, 2014.

Strasburg tries to get back on the winning side this afternoon in the third of three with the Rockies.

Here’s the Nationals’ lineup for the today’s matchup in Coors Field: