Now in spotlight, Cole gives up pair of homers (Nationals lose 4-1)

With Stephen Strasburg shelved again for at least a while and perhaps the rest of the season, A.J. Cole suddenly finds himself in an unlikely spotlight.

The Nationals need someone to fill these starting slots while Strasburg is out with a strained flexor mass in his right elbow and Joe Ross is still rehabbing from shoulder inflammation. And right now, Cole is the man getting the opportunity.

In order to keep himself out there, though, the 24-year-old right-hander is going to have to avoid the kind of crooked-number innings that plagued him early in tonight's game against the Phillies.

Cole gave up a four-spot in the top of the third, serving up homers to both Peter Bourjos and Ryan Howard, leaving the Nationals in a 4-0 hole in their series opener.

Making his fifth big league start, Cole has been a surprisingly steady option for manager Dusty Baker, outperforming fellow rookies Reynaldo Lopez and Lucas Giolito to date. He flashed some dominance early in tonight's start, striking out the side in the top of the second.

But the third inning was a nightmare for the right-hander. Bourjos crushed a 1-0 fastball off the left field foul pole. Then, after a single and a hit batter, Howard sent a 1-2 changeup soaring to left-center, clearing the fence for a three-run homer that put the Nats in a significant hole.

The Nationals lineup hasn't been nearly so fortunate against Phillies rookie Alec Asher. Despite a host of line drives that were scorched off the bat, the Nats have just one hit through four scoreless innings: Daniel Murphy's opposite-field double in the bottom of the first, Murphy's 40th two-bagger of the season.

Update: They've played six innings here, the score remains 4-0 and the Nats can't buy a break at the plate. They have consistenly hit the ball hard against Asher, but everything is right at somebody. The Nats have made 10 outs on balls that left the bat at 94 mph or more, including several over 100 mph. Cole, meanwhile, struggled only in the third inning when he gave up the two homers. Otherwise, he was strong, striking out eight without walking anybody during a five-inning start.

Update II: The Nationals finally threatened in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases with one out. But Murphy came about five feet short of a game-tying grand slam, settling for a sac fly instead. And then Bryce Harper, with a chance to tie the game with one mighty swing of his own, struck out on back-to-back splitters from reliever Hector Neris. And so this game heads to the ninth, with the Nats trailing 4-1.

Update III: Well, that was a particularly frustrating loss. Final: 4-1. The Nats threatened only once all night, in the bottom of the eighth. And that's not usually enough to get the job done. The Mets were off tonight, so the lead in the National League East is down to eight games with 22 to play. The magic number remains 15.