Baker on Strasburg's struggles in a 9-3 defeat

JUPITER, Fla. - Dusty Baker wanted Stephen Strasburg to throw three innings today, the logical progression in his workload after a two-inning debut last week.

The Cardinals had other ideas, and their aggressive approach, especially early in the count when Strasburg was trying to throw his fastball for a strike, limited the right-hander's workload.

"It was a work day," Baker said after watching Strasburg get rattled for six runs on seven hits in two innings. "You don't see Stras get hit like that too often. ... I said, 'How'd you feel?' He said, 'I felt great.' He said that he wasn't executing his pitches. When that happens, especially the young guys in spring training, they can hit that fastball."

Four of the first five hitters Strasburg faced reached base safely. Dexter Fowler walked to lead off the game and went to third when Aledmys Díaz doubled to right center. After Jhonny Peralta hit a run-scoring groundout, Matt Adams singled home a run and Randal Grichuk singled to put runners on first and second. Adams scampered to third on Greg Garcia's flyout, and Patrick Wisdom and Harrison Bader followed with RBI singles. Strasburg finally got the ninth hitter of the inning, Eric Fryer, on swinging third strike.

The second inning started similarly, with Fowler singling to right and scoring on a Díaz double to right-center. After Díaz's second double, Strasburg showed his only evident displeasure, shaking his head in disbelief as the hit soared into the gap. But them he got three straight fly balls - the middle one a sac fly - to escape further damage.

"He was throwing the ball great, but like I said, they were on the fastball, which is what teams do in spring training," Baker said. "That's basically about the only thing you can hit because your timing's not right. You just have to mix it up more, better locate the fastballs.

"He was working on trying to locate ... the fastball. Even when they're sitting on it - which they should be - if you locate properly, they won't center it like they were centering it today."

Díaz had the most well-struck balls on the two doubles, but the others hits found holes.

Baker was willing to allow for his righty's fortunes, given the spring stage and the Cardinals' propensity for attacking early-count fastballs.

"I've seen the best get whacked around in spring training."

The Nationals outhit the Cards 11-9, with Wilmer Difo, Michael A. Taylor and Pedro Severino each contributing two hits. Difo raised his batting average to .429, Taylor upped his mark to .409 and Severino boosted his to .571.

Severino had to wait for Corban Joseph's liner to clear the infield in the second, and wound up robbing his teammate of a hit.

The Nationals catcher froze a few steps off first - as he should have - when second baseman Garcia leaped, the ball clipping his glove and falling in short right field, where Harrison Bader grabbed it. Bader's throw beat Severino to the bag for a forceout.

The official scorer curiously - and incorrectly - awarded Garcia an assist on a play that was ruled a 4-9-6 fielder's choice.