Stephen Strasburg leaves with injury in Nats' 9-3 win

For the third time this year, Stephen Strasburg has left a start early due to injury. Strasburg appeared to be favoring his left side after throwing a first-pitch fastball to Giants first baseman Brandon Belt with two outs in the fourth inning.

Nationals manager Matt Williams, pitching coach Steve McCatty and head athletic trainer Lee Kuntz quickly came out of the dugout to check on Strasburg. After a brief huddle, the decision was made to end Strasburg's afternoon with the Nationals leading 3-0.

He was replaced by Tanner Roark.

Strasburg threw just 56 pitches, yielding one hit with two walks and three strikeouts over 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

A strained left trapezius muscle sent Strasburg to the 15-day disabled list on May 30 a day after he was forced to leave his start in Cincinnati having thrown just 16 pitches. He was bothered by a series of other injuries throughout his first 10 starts of the season, including a sprained left ankle and back alignment issues.

Strasburg surfaced from his DL stint confidently saying that he was feeling the healthiest since he showed up for spring training in mid-February. He backed it up by winning his last two starts while only surrendering two runs on eight hits with two walks and 15 strikeouts over 12 innings.

Update: Clint Robinson doubled to lead off the sixth and Danny Espinosa followed with a single, bringing Giants manager Bruce Bochy out of the dugout to end Bumgarner's afternoon.

Bochy called for right-hander Yusmeiro Petit, who was tagged for a two-run double off the bat of Tyler Moore.

Meanwhile, Roark has retired the first seven batters he has faced since taking over for Strasburg in the fourth.

Update II: The Giants got on the scoreboard, with a sacrifice fly from Brandon Crawford scoring Buster Posey in the seventh.

Update III: Yunel Escobar led off the seventh with a single and Bryce Harper followed with double to the gap in right-center. After Wilson Ramos popped out, Giants manager Bruce Bochy instructed Petit to intentionally walk Robinson to load the bases. The move backfired, as Petit then walked Espinosa, forcing in Espinosa.

A sacrifice fly from Ian Desmond brought Harper home and then Moore added another RBI on a line drive single to left. Moore is 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs on the afternoon.

The Giants added another run off Roark on back-to-back doubles from Ehire Adrianza and Gregor Blanco in the eighth.

Roark allowed two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks in 4 1/3 innings. He threw 61 pitches.

Update IV: The Giants tacked on another run on an RBI double from Belt off right-hander Casey Janssen in the ninth.

The Nationals beat the Giants 9-3.