Strasburg on worst outing of season: "Just didn't have it today"

DENVER - Right-hander Stephen Strasburg raced out of the blocks this season with the best start of his career, going 13-0 through his first 17 starts.

He didn't suffer his first loss until July 21.

But in his last six starts it has been a different story. Strasburg has gone 2-4 with a 7.75 ERA. In that span, he has allowed 26 runs over 30 2/3 innings.

Wednesday afternoon, Strasburg allowed the most runs in his career, nine earned runs, and lasted only 1 2/3 innings in a 12-10 loss to the Rockies.

The Rockies batted around in the first and second innings for a nightmare start. Charlie Blackmon had three at-bats in the first two innings. Gerardo Parra had a double and a triple with four RBIs in his first two plate appearances.

Colorado scored nine runs in the first two innings to take a commanding 9-2 lead.

Strasburg ended up surrendering nine hits with three walks and three strikeouts. He threw 71 pitches to get five outs, 46 for strikes.

"Couldn't get anybody out," Strasburg said. "I don't know. It felt pretty good coming out of the hand. Looking back on the tape, I feel like they hit some good pitches. Just didn't have it today."

Manager Dusty Baker said Strasburg allowed the Rockies too many fastballs down the middle of the plate.

"Just poor location, he was throwing the ball well," Baker said. "I guess their game plan was just to jump on the first fastball they saw because they were either first or second pitch. And I asked (Wilson) Ramos, where are those pitches, and he said they were right down the middle a lot of them. You don't have to change your bat plane at all when a ball is down the middle.

"They jumped on him, everybody, just got to go back to the drawing board. Every pitcher every year goes through a rough streak, there's only a few in history that haven't. He'll get it back together again."

The Nationals battled back with a mammoth two-run shot from Bryce Harper, his 21st of the season, and the first major league homer by Pedro Severino, but couldn't complete the rally and lost the series. Chris Heisey also hit a home run. The Nationals got within two runs but ran out of at-bats.

Harper said the dugout didn't quit when they were down 9-2.

"I think all year long when we're behind, we're not behind," Harper said. "When we're ahead we're trying to pound it even more.

"It just goes to show you how our mindsets are in here. We got veteran guys, we got young guys and we got a great mix of guys in here. We all fight to the end. You score 10 runs, you think you'd win a ballgame. But sometimes it happens that way.

"They got a great team over there that can swing the bat. Colorado is crazy. 12-10 ball game, that's just how it is sometimes."

What about Strasburg physically? Does Baker have any concerns with Strasburg losing four of his last six starts?

"No," Baker said emphatically. "If I had health concerns he wouldn't be throwing 95-96 mph. It was just a matter of poor location. He didn't have his changeup, you could tell he didn't have the grip on his changeup, which is one of his major weapons and breaking balls are hard to throw here because they just spin up there."

Baker also said Strasburg can't let these last three starts get in his head either. Giving up 17 runs in 11 innings can do that to a pitcher.

"You got to put them behind you and number one you got to quit counting," Baker said. "That's No. 1 because if you don't quit counting then it goes to four and five and gets in your head. I think his next start is against another tough offensive club, the Orioles, in Baltimore. He'll get it together."

Strasburg does not believe he needs to make any changes despite this recent run.

"Well, I think the bottom line is we're all human beings here," Strasburg said. "We all make mistakes. I don't need to change anything. I need to keep going, I need to keep grinding, and the odds are going to be in my favor. They just weren't today."

The series loss is the first for the Nats since losing two of three to the Padres July 22-24. It is the Nats first road series loss since June 24-26 at Milwaukee.

Severino joins Jeff Kobernus, Kory Casto and Justin Maxwell as the only Nationals player whose first major league home run was a pinch-hit homer.