WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg struck out 10 to win a fast-ballers’ duel with newbie Chris Archer, Joel Peralta managed to pitch without having his glove inspected, and the Washington Nationals snapped a four-game losing streak Wednesday night with a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Strasburg (9-1) won his sixth consecutive start by allowing five hits and two runs over seven innings while throwing 111 pitches, the second most in his career, while Tyler Clippard picked up his 10th save. The Nationals needed all the pitching they could get — because the lineup didn’t produce a hit after the first inning.
Strasburg was just a bit better than Archer (0-1), who faced the minimum over his final five innings after surviving a rough start in his major league debut.
