Washington Nationals 3-2 over Philadelphia Phillies: Stephen Strasburg dominates, Nats close in on NL East title...

Stephen Strasburg took a no-hit bid into the fifth, struck out 10 in eight scoreless and earned the decision as the Washington Nationals took the series finale, and won three of four, from the Philadelphia Phillies with a 3-2 victory today in the nation’s capital.

Dusty Baker fielded a team full of “youngsters” (as he referred to them) in the fourth of four with the Phillies in D.C., giving his veterans a day to rest and the kids a chance to play a role in clinching the NL East crown, with a win today and a Miami Marlins’ loss.

[ed. note - “Miami and Atlanta are tied at 5-5 in the seventh as we write this.”]

The Nationals’ youth-oriented lineup did their part, providing run support for Strasburg after he retired 11 of the first 12 Phillies he faced, and extended his streak of scoreless innings streak to 34-straight with his eight scoreless today.

Nationals now 88-55

HERE’S HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Stephen Strasburg retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced, working around a one-out walk in the top of the fourth with an inning-ending 6-3 double play.

Maikel Franco hit a full-count curve up in the zone to left for the Phillies’ first hit with one down in the fifth, but Strasburg stranded the second runner to reach base as well, completing five scoreless on 62 pitches.

• Strasburg picked up a strikeout in a 16-pitch, 1-2-3 sixth and was up to eight Ks and 78 pitches after six scoreless.

• Philly righty Ben Lively matched Strasburg through five scoreless, striking out five on 61 pitches, but the Nationals finally got to the Phillies’ starter in the sixth.

• Trea Turner took a first-pitch fastball to right, off the out-of-town scoreboard, for a leadoff triple in the sixth, and he scored on a pop to short left by Adrian Sanchez to make it 1-0 Nationals. Turner’s 6th triple. Double No. 5 for Sanchez.

Victor Robles lined an 0-1 curve to right two outs later, driving Sanchez in, 2-0, but he got tagged out at third after arriving safely but sliding past the bag and losing contact with the base. First big league hit for Robles.

• Strasburg added his ninth and 10th Ks in a 15-pitch, 1-2-3 7th that left him at 93 pitches total.

• Maikel Franco singled to right to start the Phillies’ eighth, but Adrian Sanchez made a slick pick and started a 5-4-3 DP for the first two outs of the frame. Strasburg was just about as pumped as you’ve ever seen him after the double play. His 15-pitch frame left him at 108 total after eight scoreless, with a streak of 34-straight scoreless innings.

• Stephen Strasburg’s Line: 8.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 Ks, 108P, 76 S, 6/1 GO/FO.

• Ryan Madson took the mound in the ninth with a 3-0 lead, after Trea Turner hit a 2-2 slider from Lively out to left for his ninth HR of the season, and gave up back-to-back singles to start the frame, and both of them scored on a 3-2 single to right by Nick Williams, 3-2.

Ballgame. Final score: 3-2 Nationals.

NATIONALS PREGAME NOTES:

• Last night’s loss left Washington 113-124 in the all-time series with the Philadelphia Phillies, but the Nationals have gone 78-53 against the Phils since 2011.
• Through the first three games of this long-weekend series with the Phillies, Michael A. Taylor has gone 7 for 12 (.583/.615/1.333) with a double, triple and two home runs.
• The Nationals are the only team in the majors with four players that have at least 20 HRs and at least 80 RBIs: Ryan Zimmerman (31 HR, 95 RBIs); Bryce Harper (29 HRs, 87 RBIs); Anthony Rendon (23 HRs, 91 RBIs), and Daniel Murphy (22 HRs, 88 RBIs).
• Heading into today’s start, the Nationals’ starters have posted a 2.71 ERA in their last 31 starts and 189 IP.
• Washington’s offense started the day leading the NL in SLG (.456), runs scored (745), and OPS (.791), and the Nationals were ranked second in the NL in AVG (.270), and extra-base hits (497), and third in OBP (.335).
• Stephen Strasburg started the day with a streak of 26-straight scoreless innings going, and he was unbeaten against the Phillies since 2015, going (4-0) with a 2.17 ERA in seven games against the Nationals’ NL East rivals over that stretch.

Nationals now 88-55