Rendon displays power bat, Strasburg reaches 1,000 K (Reds win 6-3)

CINCINNATI - The Nationals jumped on Reds starter Dan Straily early with two runs in the second inning.

Wilson Ramos smacked a double with one out. Anthony Rendon followed with a two-run homer, his fifth of the season lined over the left field wall, to give the Nats their first lead of the series 2-0.

Stephen Strasburg retired the Reds 1-2-3 in the first inning.

In the bottom of the second, Jay Bruce crushed a 2-1 Strasburg offering over the left-center field fence, cutting the Nationals lead to 2-1.

Strasburg then proceeded to strike out the side.

The Nationals lead 2-1 after two complete in Cincinnati.

Update: Strasburg has nine strikeouts to get to 1,000 for his career, the most by a Nats pitcher in club history.

More notes from the Nats media relations on Strasburg's feat:

"With a strikeout of Dan Straily in the fifth inning today, Stephen Strasburg became the first pitcher in Nationals history (2005-present) to tally 1,000 strikeouts with the Nationals.

"Gio Gonzalez struck out his 1,000th batter in a Nationals uniform, but 511 of those were with the Oakland Athletics.

"Strasburg is the 40th active pitcher to notch 1,000 strikeouts in his career, the 488th in baseball history."

The tarp is on the field, starting the rain delay at 5:34 p.m.

Update II: Rain delay ended after 21 minutes. Back in play at 5:55 p.m.

Update III: Joey Votto clubbed a go-ahead two-run shot in the sixth to give the Reds the lead 3-2.

Strasburg allowed three runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings, with two walks and 10 strikeouts. He fired 97 pitches, 61 for strikes.

This is the sixth 10-plus strikeout game of the season for Strasburg and the 27^th of his career.

The Reds lead 3-2 after six innings.

Update IV: Danny Espinosa slammed a solo homer over the right field fence to tie the game in the eighth. With two outs, he took a 3-0 Ross Ohlendorf offering over the wall. It was his eighth homer of the season and fifth homer in his last six hits.

The Nationals and the Reds are tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth.

Update V: Rain delay in the bottom of the eighth. The Reds have men on first and third with two outs. Shawn Kelley called upon to face Adam Duvall. The rain delay started at 6:58 p.m., game even at 3-3.

Update VI: Following a 64-minute rain delay, Kelley served up a three-run shot to Duvall, his 16th homer of the season, and the Reds lead 6-3.

Tony Cingrani came on in the ninth and retired the Nationals in order.

The Reds defeat the Nationals 6-3 for a season-high fourth win in a row. The Nats have lost two in a row and seven of their last eight to Cincinnati. This one was a stunner, especially with Strasburg on the mound.