Nationals’ Strasburg feels ‘slight achiness’

PHOENIX >> Stephen Strasburg left after struggling with his control in the second inning, and the Washington Nationals wrapped up a successful nine-game trip with a 6-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.

After the game, Strasburg said his early departure was a precaution. He described the problem as slight “achiness” in his forearm. Strasburg said he wants to “nip it in the bud” so he’s available to the team in the crucial stages of the late season.

He said the issue has bothered him since the All-Star break and was worse in his previous start, when he pitched through it, going seven innings, limiting Cincinnati to one run on four hits while fanning 11.

ASTROS 9, ORIOLES 7 >> Zach Britton set an American League record by converting his 55th consecutive save opportunity, blanking Houston in the ninth inning the seal Baltimore’s victory. Britton broke the AL mark held by Tom Gordon, who notched 54 straight saves with Boston from 1998-99. Britton started his run on Oct. 1, 2015, added 47 in a row last season and is 6 for 6 this year. The major league record of 84 is held by Eric Gagne of the Dodgers from 2002-04.

YANKEES 6, MARINERS 4 >> New York won a series for the first time in six weeks when Aroldis Chapman struck out Ben Gamel with a runner on to preserve the victory over Seattle, its third win in four games against the Mariners this weekend. The Yankees had been 0-8-2 in series since sweeping Baltimore on June 9-11.