Strasburg and Doolittle weave pitching gem in 2-1 win over Cards

Seven starts into the 2019 season, Stephen Strasburg has been the most consistent starter for the Nationals. His last three outings have been exceptional, allowing only three runs in 21 2/3 innings.

Strasburg put together another gem Thursday night against the Cardinals, winning 2-1 after both teams waited through a rain delay lasting 2 hours, 32 minutes. He struck out nine to reach 29 punchouts in his last three starts. The right-hander has struck out nine or more batters in four starts this season.

Strasburg reached a milestone with those nine strikeouts, and is now at 1,501 whiffs for his career. He is fastest pitcher to reach 1,500 strikeouts, accomplishing the feat in 1,272 1/3 innings. Chris Sale held the previous mark of 1,290 innings, according to Elias Sports.

"It's pretty cool, but I was told a long time ago that strikeouts aren't everything," Strasburg said. "I think it's important to know how to put guys away when you have two strikes. But at the same time, I get myself in trouble when I'm trying to strike them out, so just being aggressive, staying on the offensive against the hitters."

His toughest inning was the third, when the Cards strung together three hits but managed only one run. Yan Gomes erased Matt Wieters off second base with pickoff throw. Right-hander Dakota Hudson sacrificed a runner into scoring position.

Kolten Wong delivered an RBI single. But that was it for the Cardinals against Strasburg. They recorded six hits, but none for extra bases.

Max Scherzer reached 2,500 strikeouts earlier this week, becoming the third-fastest pitcher to that plateau. Now Strasburg has reached 1,500 punchouts, becoming the fastest ever at just under 1,275 innings.

"That's impressive. I mean, it really is," manager Davey Martinez said. "Here's a guy that missed a considerable amount of time in his career and still has 1,500 strikeouts. That just only tells me what an unbelievable pitcher he is, and the way he's going right now, if he stays healthy, the sky is the limit."

The Nationals scored two runs in the fourth with the help from some timely hits and sloppy defense by St. Louis. Howie Kendrick and Matt Adams led off the frame with base hits off Hudson. Yan Gomes' grounder to shortstop was bobbled by Yairo Muñoz and his throw was wide of first base. This allowed Kendrick to score to tie the game at 1-1. Brian Dozier's 6-4-3 double play scored Adams and the Nats led 2-1.

The eighth inning was dicey for the Nats, as they clung to the one-run lead. Kyle Barraclough alternated allowing two singles and striking out two batters. With two outs, Martinez elected to go to closer Sean Doolittle in an attempt to lock down a four-out save.

Doolittle walked Harrison Bader to load the bases. The Cards went with the dangerous Paul Goldschmidt as their pinch-hitter. During the matchup with Doolittle, Goldschmidt unloaded on a pitch with a high-arcing shot deep down the left field line, but it sailed foul. Doolittle battled Goldschmidt into a third strike on a checked swing, which was confirmed by first base umpire Quinn Wolcott.

"Aww man, I really put myself in a really bad situation there," Doolittle said. "Harrison Bader, he had a great series, but that's Paul Goldschmidt, and you really don't want to walk a guy to load the bases to face Goldschmidt. But I felt good about how the fastball was coming out of my hand, even though I didn't quite have the command of it that I wanted to.

"So shoot, I was just trying to get ahead. You can't afford another walk there, so just fortunately we were able to get him out."

Doolittle allowed a single in the ninth, then recorded three outs in a row for his fourth save of the season. The closer said he was ready for the possibility of having to get four outs because he understands what Martinez likes to do in those high leverage spots.

"Having played for Davey, this is my second season, I'm starting to get a really good feel for when that call might come in the eighth versus the ninth," Doolittle said. "I had four days off, so I was super well-rested, so tonight ... that's a really good time for that, another time is if there is a lefty coming up in the eighth inning.

"We've had much, much better communication about that kind of stuff, and that's the biggest thing, just being able to have the time to get ready just a little sooner."

The Nationals improved to 13-17 and now begin 10-game road trip through Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Los Angeles.