At this point the Washington Nationals are merely playing out the string on a highly disappointing 2015 season, but both Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper came to play Tuesday night in Philadelphia.
Harper hit a solo shot in the top of the first inning, an RBI single in the top of the third, drew a walk in the top of the sixth, and then capped off his night with this two-run shot off Phillies reliever Adam Loewen in the top of the eighth ...
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Harper is now batting .338/.467/.667 with 39 home runs and 90 RBI in 137 games this season. The 22-year-old should really be a unanimous selection for National League MVP.
Strasburg struck out 14 batters over eight innings of one-hit ball in Washington’s 4-0 victory Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. He struck out 13 batters last Wednesday against the Mets and is now just one of two pitchers in the combined history of the Nationals and Expos to rattle off consecutive 13-plus-strikeout games. The other: Pedro Martinez.