Healthy Strasburg spins gem for Nats' eighth straight win

PHILADELPHIA - Stephen Strasburg delivered his best start of the year as the Nationals held on to beat the Phillies 3-2 in the first game of today's doubleheader.

Strasburg allowed a solo homer in the second and an RBI single in the sixth to Phillies right fielder Jeff Francoeur, but that was about it. The tall righty fanned nine Phillies while scattering four hits with one walk in seven strong innings. Strasburg threw 113 pitches, his biggest output of the season thus far, reaching 99 mph with his blazing heater.

"I think everything is off the fastball and that's the big thing," Strasburg said. "I feel like I was locating my fastball for the most part pretty well today."

The Phillies did their best to help the Nats to three runs today. Denard Span smoked a one-out double into the right field corner in the fifth. Francoeur kicked the ball around and then let it slip out of his hand as he rushed the throw back to the infield. The error advanced Span to third base where he scored from moments later when Danny Espinosa lifted a sacrifice fly to left.

In the sixth, Phillies starter Kevin Correia walked Clint Robinson to start the inning. Dan Uggla followed with a single and then Michael A. Taylor ripped a double down the left field line scoring Robinson to give the Nats the lead.

After the Phillies made two pitching changes, left-hander Jake Diekman fired a 95 mph fastball wide that catcher Cameron Rupp had no chance of securing, allowing Uggla to race to the plate safely.

Lefty Matt Thornton and right-hander David Carpenter pitched a scoreless eighth while closer Drew Storen shut down the Phillies in the ninth for his 23rd save.

"(Opportunities) and staying in ballgames," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "Our starting pitching has provided that. Real good job out of the bullpen with Thorny and Carp today and of course Drew in the ninth. All that helps you stay in baseball games, and one swing of the bat can often make the difference."

But this was about Strasburg, who turned in the eighth consecutive quality performance from a Nationals starter in the team's eighth straight win.

"This whole season my arm strength has always been there," said Strasburg. "It's been kinda fighting through the mechanical issues and everything like that. So I was glad to go out there for seven and I felt just as strong in the seventh as I was in the first."

Strasburg is now 2-0 since coming off the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday.

"It's nice that he's healthy," Williams said. "It's nice that he feels good about going out there. He's had no issues, which is great. When he doesn't, that can be the result. Pitched good."

Right-hander Tanner Roark will start Game 2 while Bryce Harper and Denard Span sit.