Nationals game blog: Stephen Strasburg looks for momentum

By Josh Land

Nationals

August 13, 2015, 6:04pm

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The Nationals' 10-game, 11-day West Coast trip continues tonight in San Francisco as Washington opens a four-game set with the Giants.

The Nats outscored the Giants 14-5 in a three-game sweep in D.C. July 3-5. Stephen Strasburg started the second game of that series and held San Francisco scoreless over 3 2/3 innings before departing with a strained left oblique.

The injury forced Strasburg to the disabled list the following day, and he remained there until last Saturday when he returned to stifle the Rockies. The tall right-hander fanned a season-high 12 while allowing just one run on three hits with no walks.

Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the fifth inning of the series finale at Nats Park on July 5. Before departing, Vogelsong allowed one run on Michael A. Taylor's RBI single.

Vogelsong worked out of the bullpen for nearly a month before rejoining the Giants rotation last Friday. The 38-year-old allowed three runs on six hits over four innings in a 7-3 loss to the Cubs.

Bryce Harper is batting .625 (5-for-8) with a homer, two doubles, two RBIs, four runs scored and five walks against the Giants this season.

Wilson Ramos is 3-for-8 (.375) with a home run and two RBIs in two games against San Francisco this season.

This is the first game back at AT&T Park for the Nationals since being eliminated in Game 4 of last year's NLDS.