Lopez provides another solid start, plus Harper home run notes

Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez pitched six innings with a no-decision in high Single-A Potomac's 3-2 loss at Wilmington. Lopez allowed only one run on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He is still 2-0 and his ERA is 0.53.

Lopez threw 85 pitches, 48 for strikes, while facing 24 batters. He induced seven groundout, three flyouts and had one hit by pitch. Lopez was reportedly hitting 96-97 mph on his fastball and touching 98 mph. He left with a 2-1 lead.

Twitter reaction to his work:

@PNats42 Reynaldo Lopez sitting 96-97, T98 in the 4th inning. #Nats pic.twitter.com/zxbHJrnmyp

-- Ryan Sullivan (@NatsGMdotcom) May 17, 2015

Reynaldo Lopez | Washington Nationals | 5/17/15 | Baseball Prospectus https://t.co/uKYIsbfc5B

-- Tucker Blair (@TuckerBlairON) May 17, 2015

Top Nationals prospect Lucas Giolito is scheduled for his third start Wednesday night as the P-Nats entertain Carolina at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Va.

* Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper has hit 14 home runs in 39 games. He has already hit more homers this season then he did in 2014, when he had 13. In his rookie season, Harper did not his his 14th homer until Aug. 29, 2012. He finished with 22 homers that year. In 2013, Harper cranked his 14th homer of the season on July 25, 2013. Harper had 20 homers in 2013.

Harper has hit 69 career home runs. He has hit 32 of those homers on the road. Nine of his homers so far this season have been hit during his scorching month of May.

Sunday's display of hitting by Harper had it all. He went 3-for-4 with a homer, a triple, a single and a walk. He grounded out in the ninth, as he attempted to complete the cycle with a double.

The triple was impressive because he hit the ball to the base of the wall in right field and properly gauged that the outfielder would have trouble getting the ball back in time in cavernous Petco Park before he touched third base. Harper was correct and his reaction of "Come on, let's go!" energized the team and dugout. The Nationals were down 2-0 at that point.

Later, he fell behind 0-2 and 1-2, appearing to square to bunt with two strikes before slamming a line drive home run that gave the Nationals a commanding 10-3 lead versus Dale Thayer.

It was interesting to listen to former Nationals general manager and current ESPN commentator Jim Bowden speak about Harper during ESPN Radio's Sunday night broadcast of the game between the Tigers and Cardinals. Bowden suggested those major league players polled by ESPN The Magazine during the off season might be a little bit off in their opinion that Harper is the most overrated player in baseball.

Bowden said Harper is the early candidate for National League MVP and just because he had not put up record book numbers in his first few years every game did not mean that he would never be able to be consistent. Bowden suggested this recent streak by Harper might be more of what the player really is versus a small sample size of hot and cold play in his first few seasons.