Lopez matches career-high 13 strikeouts as Harrisburg drops Reading

Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez splashed on the scene last season in the Nationals minor league system before a minor back injury slowed his final month. He made his last appearance August 18 before being shut down.

This season, fully healthy, the Nationals' No. 5 pitching prospect is on a roll.

On Sunday, the Double-A Harrisburg starter struck out 13 batters for the second time in three starts as the Senators dropped Reading 4-1. Lopez went seven innings, allowing five hits with no walks and the career-high-matching 13 punchouts.

He is now 2-5 with a 3.56 ERA. The 22-year-old Lopez has now struck out 12 or more batters in three of his last five starts. That works out to 46 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings. He has walked only three batters in those five outings.

In Lopez's last 10 games, he has gone 2-3 with a 3.27 ERA, allowing 19 earned runs with 77 strikeouts and only 17 walks over 52 1/3 innings.

"He was able to throw all three of his pitches for strikes," Senators pitching coach Chris Michalak told MiLB.com's Michael Peng. "He had good command on his fastball, and once he was able to establish that mix in the other pitches, hitters were taking very defensive swings."

Meanwhile, the Nationals' top pitching prospect, right-hander Lucas Giolito, has gone 5-2 with a 2.80 ERA and 60 strikeouts over 54 2/3 innings in his last 10 starts.

Although Triple-A Syracuse shortstop Trea Turner has gone just 7-for-his-last-41 (.171), he is still slashing .292/.363/.432 in 63 games. The 22-year-old has 14 doubles, six triples, three homers, 21 stolen bases and 25 RBIs. He has at least one base hit in 10 of his last 13 games.