More: Nationals shut down by Bass, Padres
With Stephen Strasburg taking the mound for the Washington Nationals (22-14) in the second game of a two-game set against the San Diego Padres (13-24), the hope was that the 6-foo-4 right-hander could deliver the Nats a victory and a series sweep. After surrendering four earned runs over the first four innings, that hope, in large part, was lost, as Washington fell to the last-place Padres, 6-1 on Tuesday afternoon.
Strasburg struggled most of all during the first inning, as he gave up three runs capped off by a two-run single from catcher Jeff Baker that scored Chase Headley and Yonder Alonso.
And though the bullpen allowed just four hits and two runs over the remaining four innings, Washington's hitters never got going at the plate, totaling just six hits and one run -- a solo home run from Bryce Harper in the fifth inning.
Washington, which had beat San Diego 8-5 on Monday, will now host the Pittsburgh Pirates in a two-game series on Wednesday and Thursday before a weekend set against the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park.
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