Dominant Strasburg too much for Marlins Nationals ace throws 14 strikeouts, most in 2 years
WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 71⁄3 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and the Washington Nationals continued their midseason surge with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.
Washington has won seven of its last eight and is 25-10 since May 24. The Nationals improved to 44-41, the first time they’ve been three games over .500 this season.
Strasburg (10-4) was, as usual, brilliant against the Marlins. He allowed two hits and two walks while extending his personal winning streak against Miami to 11. The right-hander is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins, who didn’t get a man past first until the eighth.
Strasburg’s gem included the first immaculate inning of his career. Strasburg needed just nine pitches to strike out Garrett
Cooper, Neil Walker and Starlin Castro in the fourth.
The 14 strikeouts were the most for the righty in a game since a career-high 15 on May 27, 2017.
Fernando Rodney induced a double-play grounder to escape a basesloaded jam in the eighth, and Sean Doolittle gave up a run in the ninth but stranded the bases loaded for his 19th save in 22 tries.
Miami’s Sandy Alcantara (4-8), making his first start since earning an AllStar nod Sunday, matched Strasburg for five innings. But he hung a two-out, 0-2 slider to Dozier, who deposited it over the left field
fence for a two-run homer in the sixth. Alcantara allowed two runs in 5 ⁄ innings.
Dozier’s blast extended Washington’s home run streak to 17 consecutive games, the longest in a halfcentury franchise history that includes the team’s time in Montreal.
Adams added a solo shot in the eighth.
Marlins outfielder Brian Anderson (bruised elbow) was out of the lineup and struck out as a pinch hitter in the eighth. Manager Don Mattingly said Anderson, who left Tuesday’s game in the second inning, was having trouble throwing.