Strasburg rolling against Pirates again (Nats win 6-1)

Stephen Strasburg likes recording strikeouts against the Pirates.

He struck out a then career-high 14 against Pittsburgh in his major league debut on June 8, 2010. On May 27, 2017, he struck out 15 against San Diego in a 3-0 win.

After a 1-2-3 first inning, Strasburg struck out five of his next six batters faced. He struck out the side in the third.

The Nationals put together four hits in five at-bats in the first inning. Ryan Zimmerman hit an RBI double, but Daniel Murphy was tagged out at home plate trying to score the second run in the inning.

Mid-third, the Nats lead the Pirates 1-0.

Update: The Pirates' first hit came with two outs in the fifth on a grounder the glanced off Zimmerman's glove toward second base. But Strasburg kept going and made it through the inning. In the sixth, a 4-6-3 double play ended the inning.

After six innings, Strasburg has allowed no runs and struck out seven Bucs.

Mid-sixth, the Nats lead the Pirates 1-0.

Update II: In the sixth, the Nats pounded out five more hits, highlighted by a RBI single from Murphy and a two-run shot by Zimmerman. Zimmerman has 35 homers on the season, a career high.

After six innings, the Nats lead 4-0 over the Pirates.

Update III: Now that was exactly what Strasburg wanted for his last regular season start: 7 2/3 innings, no runs, two hits, two walks and eight strikeouts on 98 pitches, 63 for strikes.

Mid-eighth before 39,339 at Nats Park, the Nats lead the Pirates 4-0.

Update IV: Zimmerman hit his second homer of the game in the eighth. Jayson Werth went back-to-back with a solo shot. Zimmerman has 36 homers on the season, a career high,and Werth now has 10 on the season.

Bryce Harper played into the seventh inning and then was replaced by Andrew Stevenson on defense. Harper went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and grounded into a double play.

After eight innings, the Nats lead 6-0.

Update V: In the ninth, Andrew McCutchen connected on a run-scoring double off Matt Grace. But then the left-hander recorded a groundout to short, a walk, a strikeout and a force out to end the game.

Final score: Nats 6, Pirates 1. The Nats have 97 wins.