The Washington Nationals are letting their game against the Atlanta Braves on Friday night get away from them. The Braves hold a commanding lead on the Nats 6-1 in the sixth.
Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg was on the mound and there was anticipation, especially since the Nationals finished off a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies. However, Strasburg did not have an exceptional performance. With his command off he fell into trouble in the first inning giving up three runs, two earned. However that is all the Braves would get off him as he pitched four innings giving up five hits, no walks and striking out three. Strasburg has not issued a walk to any of the 114 Major League batters he has faced dating back to August 2010. Strasburg threw 75 pitches, 46 for strikes.
The Nationals got on the board in the second thanks to a Wilson Ramos RBI single to make it 3-1, but the Braves got that one back and more in the fifth off Nationals relievers Collin Balester and Atahualpa Severino to make the score 6-1.