Hearing from Williams, Desmond, Strasburg and Harper after Nats' 3-0 loss

MIAMI - The Nationals jumped out to a 6-0 lead after six innings yesterday. Since then, it's been all Marlins.

Stephen Strasburg and Henderson Alvarez were locked in a scoreless duel through five innings tonight, but Giancarlo Stanton drove in a run in the sixth on a hanging Strasburg breaking ball, then brought in one of two Marlins runs in the ninth, leading Miami to a 3-0 win tonight.

This marks the Nats' fourth loss in six games. They're now 4-4 on this road trip, but can salvage a positive nine-game stretch with a win tomorrow in the series finale here at Marlins Park.

Strasburg went seven strong, but the Nats weren't able to get to Alvarez despite putting the leadoff man aboard in the top of the first and loading the bases with none out in the second.

Here are quotes from the clubhouse after the loss:

Nats manager Matt Williams on if he considered intentionally walking Stanton with a runner at third and one out in the eighth: "No. I think Aaron (Barrett) got ahead of him, two strikes, and hung a breaking ball. So whether it's Giancarlo or anybody else, if he makes the proper pitch there, he probably gets him out. He swung at two sliders in a row, and then he threw the last one for a strike and he hit it. The guy that hits behind him is having a great year, too. So we want to try to make him hit a pitcher's pitch there, and unfortunately it wasn't. The first two pitches were executed good, the other one not so much. Giancarlo or (Casey) McGehee or anybody else has a chance to put that one in play."

Williams on Strasburg's outing: "He was really good tonight. Threw everything for strikes, really kept them off-balance. With the exception of one hanging breaker to Giancarlo, the ball down the line, he pitched really well."

Williams on what the umps told him when Nate McLouth was called back after taking first base in the seventh: "The ball goes off the (home plate) umpire. It clearly didn't hit the bat or the catcher. It got him pretty flush. But as they got together, they appealed the swing, and they ruled that Nate swung at the ball. There's no review on that. Certainly, we can't do anything about it. If he rules swing, then he rules swing."

Williams on going with Jerry Blevins to start the eighth: "We have to look at all of our options. Certainly, we're a little taxed at the back of our bullpen. He's got a couple lefties coming up when they get past the pinch-hitter. So that's the guy to go with. We need a long guy if we need a long guy. He's our situational guy in that regard. So, pinch-hitter, then two lefties and we go after Stanton with Barrett."

Williams on the missed opportunities against Alvarez: "Of course. We had him on the ropes. It was early. And we didn't get it done. That's part of the game. That happens sometimes. It's the first inning or it's the last inning. You have opportunities, and you just have to keep creating them. We've come through in a lot of those situations. Tonight wasn't the case. Quick turnaround. We'll go get them tomorrow."

Ian Desmond on Alvarez getting out of a couple of jams: "He's a good pitcher. He made some big pitches there. Stephen did, as well. Stephen did a great job today. Tough, tough-fought game."

Desmond on if he's frustrated: "I mean, I think there's definitely worse situations to be in. Would we have liked to come in here and beat them today? Yeah. But those are the cards we're dealt right now."

Desmond on what he liked from Strasburg: "Just the same old stuff. He's using all his pitches, he's throwing the ball inside with some aggression. He's using the curveball and changeup. He used the curveball a little more today than he had. Just, he's a grinder from that first at-bat. 3-0, comes right back, gets a groundball 3-2. From that point on, he was in go-mode."

Strasburg on why Stanton has given the Nats so much trouble: "I think for some reason we make mistakes to him. I wasn't trying to hang that curveball. I did. He hit it down the line. He's just a good mistake hitter. Just gotta do a better job of executing pitches."

Strasburg on where he wanted the curveball: "Definitely not hanging. I was trying to throw it down and away."

Strasburg on Alvarez: "That's baseball. I think he'll be the first to tell you he wasn't on top of his game early. He just seemed to make the pitch when it mattered. Kinda erased all the balls he was leaving out over the plate."

Bryce Harper on the missed opportunities: "Alvarez is a great pitcher. There's nothing more you can say about him. He came out tonight and had every single pitch going for him. His change-up was deadly. That's a guy you gotta just tip your cap and go get 'em next time."

Harper on his matchup with lefty Mike Dunn with two on and two out in the eighth: "He hung a breaking ball and I just got under it a little bit. If I catch it out front a little bit, it might be a different story. Dunner, he's pretty good dang good. Throws about 95. I was sitting on a slider and got it. Just missed it. Hopefully the next time I face him I can get him. Nothing I can do right now."