Stephen Strasburg throws complete game shutout; Washington Nationals sweep Miami Marlins with 4-0 win...

Stephen Strasburg got tired of waiting for the Washington Nationals’ hitters to figure out Miami Marlins’ starter Adam Conley, so he took the left-hander deep himself for a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the fifth.

Strasburg hit an opposite field blast over the out-of-town scoreboard in right for his second home run of the season, and the third homer of his career, and collected two hits total on the day.

Wilmer Difo followed one out later in the fifth with a solo shot of his own to put the Nats up 2-0 on the Fish in the series finale in the nation’s capital.

Strasburg was cruising on the mound too, tossing six scoreless on just 63 pitches, and inducing seven ground ball outs while striking out five.

His 10-pitch seventh inning pushed him up to [checks math] 73 pitches total, and a 14-pitch, two-strikeout eighth left Strasburg at 87 pitches, and he came back out for the ninth with a 4-0 lead and worked around a one-out single for the complete game shutout.

• Stephen Strasburg’s Line: 9.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER 1 BB, 8 Ks, 110 P, 78 S, 12/3 GO/FO.

Nationals now 81-51

HERE’S HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Stephen Strasburg was up to eight-straight batters set down and 11 of 13 retired on the day before J.T. Realmuto hit a leadoff triple into the right field corner, past a diving Anthony Rendon at third base. Realmuto deked the Nats into thinking he was stopping at second base, and took the extra bag as Trea Turner dropped the relay throw getting it out of his glove.

Strasburg buckled down, and got back-to-back swinging Ks from Derek Dietrich and A.J. Ellis (the Marlins’ 6-7 hitters) then put Miguel Rojas on intentionally to get to Fish starter Adam Conley, and then popped the pitcher up to end the threat with the leadoff triple still on third.

• Conley was up to 70 pitches total after four scoreless, but his 71st pitch cleared the out-of-town scoreboard in right field as Strasburg took the lefty deep for a solo home run that put the Nationals ahead 1-0. Strasburg jacked an 89 mph fastball, and one out later, Wilmer Difo got hold of a 1-1 heater and hit his own solo shot to left to put the Nats up 2-0 after five.

• Strasburg’s eight-pitch, 1-2-3 sixth left him at just 63 pitches. Conley finished a 20-pitch sixth at 111 total.

• Adam Conley’s Line: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 Ks, 2 HRs, 111 P, 68 S, 6/2 GO/FO.

• J.T. Realmuto was 3 for 3 on the day vs Strasburg after a one-out single in the top of the seventh, but he was forced out at second on a grounder to first, and an A.J. Ellis’ groundout ended a 10-pitch frame that left Strasburg at 73 total after seven scoreless.

• Strasburg (2 for 3) singled to start the Nationals’ seventh, and Trea Turner walked to put two on against Marlins’ righty Drew Steckenrider, but Wilmer Difo lined into a 6-4 double play (with Strasburg caught off second) for the first two outs.

Anthony Rendon stepped in next, however, and doubled to right on an 0-2 fastball to drive Turner in from second after Turner stole his 36th base to get himself in scoring position, 3-0.

• Strasburg picked up two Ks in a 14-pitch eighth in which he worked around a two-out single, popping up Giancarlo Stanton to end the frame.

• The Nationals added a run in the bottom of the eighth with Jayson Werth doubling before his pinch runner (Alejandro De Aza) scored from third on a passed ball, 4-0.

• Dusty Baker sent his starter back out for the ninth to the delight of the crowd in the nation’s capital, and Strasburg and worked around a leadoff single for the complete game shutout.

• Stephen Strasburg’s Line: 9.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER 1 BB, 8 Ks, 110 P, 78 S, 12/3 GO/FO.

NATIONALS PREGAME NOTES:

• With wins in the first two games of Washington’s three-game set with Miami, the Nationals now trail the Marlins 112-122, though the Nats are now 56-35 against the Fish since 2013.
• With losses in the first two games, Miami has dropped five of the last six games to the Nationals, falling behind, 9-6, in the season series.
• Washington’s .591 winning % in the nation’s capital this season is the fourth-best winning% in the National League.
• Nationals’ starters have put up a 2.39 ERA in their last 20 starts and 124 ¹⁄₃ IP, and on the season, the Nats’ starting staff ranks first in the majors in opponents’ AVG (.229), second in opponents’ OBP (.298), opponents’ SLG (.383) and ERA (3.49), third in the majors in strikeouts (819).
• Stephen Strasburg started the day ranked sixth in the majors with a 3.10 ERA, one of three Nationals’ starters in the top six in the majors in ERA along with Max Scherzer (2nd, 2.21), and Gio Gonzalez (3rd, 2.40).
• Giancarlo Stanton has now hit 30 home runs over his last 48 games since July 5th. One other player in MLB history hit 30 homers over a 50 (or fewer)-game span in one season: Barry Bonds (30 over 47 games from April to June 2001).
• Washington’s offense started the day leading the NL in SLG (.459), runs scored (697), OPS (.796), and extra base hits (464), and ranked second in AVG (.272), third in OBP (.337), and sixth in home runs (182).

Nationals now 81-51