Strasburg gives up lead after hitting Scutaro in head

By Dan Kolko

Nationals

June 25, 2012, 7:23pm

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Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals held a 2-1 lead over the Rockies entering the bottom of the sixth inning. Strasburg gave up a leadoff triple to Dexter Fowler. He then drilled Marco Scutaro in the head with a first-pitch, 95 mph fastball. After staying on the ground for a few seconds, Scutaro got up and talked things over with a trainer. He left the game, but appeared to be OK. The Nationals' lead wasn't OK. Immediately after hitting Scutaro, Strasburg grabbed his hat off his head. He appeared flustered by what happened (rightfully so) and then allowed back-to-back singles and a sacrifice fly after the hit-by-pitch. Just like that, the Nats' lead was gone. Those two sixth-inning runs, combined with an insurance run off Tom Gorzelanny in the seventh, paced the Rockies to a 4-2 win over the Nationals. This is Strasburg's first loss since May 15. It comes after he'd recorded wins in each of his last six outings. And you have to wonder how much hitting Scutaro in the head led to the Nats ace giving up the lead in the sixth.