Strasburg back from DL in style
Stephen Strasburg came off the disabled list to pitch 6⅔ no- hit innings before being lifted after throwing 109 pitches, and Danny Espinosa hit two of the Washington Nationals’ season- high six home runs — including his second grand slam in four games — in a 12- 1 rout Sunday of the visiting Cincinnati Reds.
Strasburg ( 11- 0), who was activated before the game after missing two starts because of a strained muscle in his upper back, struck out five and walked four before leaving to a standing ovation. Blake Treinen kept the no- hitter intact by getting the last out of the seventh, but Matt Belisle allowed a leadoff single to Ramon Cabrera in the eighth.
Strasburg has won a franchise- record 14 decisions in a row and became the first National League starter to begin a season 11- 0 since Andy Hawkins in 1985.
Blue Jays 17, Indians 1
Troy Tulowitzki had three hits — including a homer — on his bobblehead day, Russell Martin homered and drove in five runs and the host Toronto Blue Jays routed the Cleveland Indians. It was the Indians’ second consecutive loss after a franchise- record 14- game winning streak.
The Blue Jays also got four hits and four runs scored from Josh Donaldson and four RBI from Edwin Encarnacion, who played after appealing a one- game suspension for making contact with an umpire during an argument Friday. Encarnacion leads the majors with 77 RBI.
Best of the rest
Stephen Piscotty hit a grand slam to improve to 5- for- 9 with 13 RBI with the bases loaded this season, and the St. Louis Cardinals overcame three rain delays and the visiting Milwaukee Brewers’ frantic four- run rally in the ninth inning to earn a 9- 8 victory that gave them a three- game sweep.
Brandon McCarthy ( 1- 0) allowed two hits and struck out eight in five scoreless innings in his return from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow to help the host Los Angeles Dodgers top the Colorado Rockies 4- 1 and complete a three- game sweep.
Justin Upton broke an eighth- inning tie with a two- run double, Ian Kinsler hit his 200th career homer and the visiting Detroit Tigers topped the Tampa Bay Rays 6- 1 to win their sixth game in a row.
News and notes
Dodgers left- hander Clayton Kershaw ( 11- 2, 1.79 ERA) had a follow- up exam on his sore back, but the team remained unsure about when he would be able to return. He went on the 15- day disabled list Friday after being diagnosed with a mild disk herniation.
The Arizona Diamondbacks put right- hander Zack Greinke ( 10- 3, 3.62 ERA) on the 15- day disabled list, retroactive to Wednesday, with a strained oblique muscle on his left side.