Verlander outdoes Strasburg in spring matchup (Nats win 8-1)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It lasted all of 2 1/2 innings, but at this time of the spring, we'll all take as much of a Stephen Strasburg-Justin Verlander pitching matchup as we can get.

The two right-handers didn't disappoint in their head-to-head showdown today at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Strasburg allowed one run over two innings but consistently hit 97-98 mph with his fastball. Verlander, meanwhile, tossed three scoreless innings and struck out five before calling it a day.

Making his delayed spring debut - he wanted to throw one more live batting practice session earlier this week before facing an opponent - Strasburg came out firing. His first pitch of the game was a 97 mph fastball to Astros leadoff man Marwin Gonzalez, and he didn't ease up.

Though he allowed a ground-rule double to Derek Fisher and then allowed him to take third on a wild pitch, Strasburg got out of the first inning unscathed by striking out Carlos Correa and getting Brian McCann to pop up, each on 98 mph fastballs.

The bottom of the second was a bit more ragged for Strasburg and his Nationals teammates. A bunt single, another wild pitch and a single to center (with Brian Goodwin bobbling the ball to prevent any possible play at the plate accounted for the afternoon's first run). Strasburg also was charged with an error on an errant pickoff throw.

His pitch count at 29 after two innings, Strasburg headed out to the right field bullpen, where he continued to get more work in while Sean Doolittle took over on the mound.

Verlander was much sharper in his second start of the spring. The veteran right-hander allowed two singles to Goodwin but retired the other nine batters he faced, five via strikeout.

One of Verlander's victims was Bryce Harper, who returned to the lineup for the first time since Sunday. (He was supposed to play Tuesday but was scratched with an ingrown toenail that required minor surgery to remove.) Verlander overmatched Harper in the top of the first, striking him out on four pitches including a 96 mph fastball.

The Nationals trail 1-0 after three innings.

Update: So much for that pitching duel. The top of the fifth turned into a nightmare for the Astros, a thing of beauty for the Nationals. By the time it was over, 13 batters had come to the plate. Seven of them scored despite only three hits. That's because Houston pitchers issued five walks. And one hit batter. And because two Houston infielders committed errors. It was quite something. For a while, the only Nats batter to make an out in the inning was Harper (go figure). Anyways, it's now 7-1 Nats heading to the bottom of the fifth, after Doolittle and Brandon Kintzler each tossed a scoreless inning in relief of Strasburg.

Update II: The Nationals' pitching staff has been nails today. After Strasburg allowed that one early run, Doolittle, Kintzler, Shawn Kelley, Tommy Milone and Ismael Guillon have combined to post six consecutive zeros without allowing a hit (with an assist to Victor Robles, whose diving catch in left-center to end the eighth robbed Houston of at least a double). It's 8-1 Nats heading to the ninth.

Update III: And that's how this one ends. The Nationals beat the Astros 8-1.