Best in the East: Nationals nab another division crown
Washington celebrates fourth title in six years
WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg and teammates zipped through their quickest home game of the season and then waited along with several hundred fans at Nationals Park.
About 90 minutes after finishing a victory over the Phillies, Washington broke out the champagne to celebrate its continued National League East supremacy.
Strasburg extended his scoreless streak to a franchise-record 34 innings, and the Nationals beat Philadelphia 3-2 on Sunday in a tidy 2 hours, 16 minutes.
A little while later, Washington clinched its fourth NL East title in six seasons when the Braves beat the Marlins on an 11th-inning homer in Atlanta.
Fans remained in the stands to watch the Braves rally with three runs in the ninth, and fireworks erupted from the upper deck after Atlanta finished off Miami, making the Nationals the majors’ first team to clinch a playoff spot this year.
Players poured out of the dugout wearing ski goggles, embraced their wives, girlfriends and children and flung hats and T-shirts into the crowd.
“This one was very, very gratifying. Even though it looked like we had a comfortable lead, it was still a struggle,” manager Dusty Baker said in the boozesoaked clubhouse. “A lot of our top guys were hurt.”
The Nationals also won the NL East in 2012, 2014 and last year, but they haven’t advanced past the divisional round of the postseason.
Baker had the luxury of resting nearly all his regulars on Sunday, but one player who didn’t need a break was Strasburg, who infamously was shut down before the playoffs in 2012 in his first season after Tommy John surgery.
Strasburg has one career postseason start, a loss in 2014. Now, he’s pitching better than ever.
Strasburg (13-4) threw two-hit ball for eight innings and struck out 10. He hasn’t allowed a run since Aug. 19 at San Diego, which was his first start since coming off the disabled list with an elbow nerve impingement.