Strasburg's 8-0 run to begin 2016 puts him in elite company

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg continued Tuesday night on the most consistent stretch of his career, winning for the eighth time this season in a 7-4 victory over the National League East rival Mets.

The Nationals have now won 14 straight games that Strasburg has started. On Tuesday, he crafted 6 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and two runs with two walks and 11 strikeouts.

The biggest statistic is the run Strasburg is on. He is 8-0 this season, a career-best start. He has picked up from where he left off last year since his return from a neck injury in late June.

Strasburg said it was not easy to get to this point after fighting through separate neck and oblique issues last season.

"There's definitely some highs and lows obviously there was quite a bit of lows last year for me," Strasburg said. "I think I learned a lot through that process, so I'm just trying to ride the roller coaster and stay consistent, and be a good teammate every single day and do everything I can to help the team win the game."

In his last 23 starts, Strasburg has gone 16-2 with a 2.22 ERA, with 30 walks and 196 strikeouts. Only the Cubs' Jake Arrieta (1.03 ERA) and the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw (1.32) have better ERAs in that span.

"(Going) 8-0 matches some pretty good pitchers around baseball," said manager Dusty Baker said. "I think Chris Sale is 8-0 and Arrieta is 8-0 and that means he is one of the best out there and he's pitching like it. A lot of people say the wins don't matter, but the wins matter to the guys on the team and the wins matter to the person that's getting the wins."

"I think we're playing good ball and it's just all we got to do is keep grinding and there's still a long way to go," Strasburg said. "So let's just take it one day at a time and try and get better and peak at the right time."

The Mets tallied first on an Asdrubal Cabrera solo homer in the fourth inning. Yoenis Cespedes added a single later in that inning.

But Strasburg kept up machine-like precision. He struck out at least two batters in each of the first four innings. He has now struck out 10 or more batters in five games this season and 26 for his career.

"I think I'm trying to focus on the foundation and building off of that," Strasburg said. "Not trying to reinvent the wheel. The biggest thing that's really helped me is not overanalyzing one pitch over another, and just trying to be consistent and attacking the zone and executing the pitch."

On the opposite side is a pitcher who had a similar career track as Strasburg in his recovery from Tommy John and then return to outstanding pitching. But this season has been different for right-hander Matt Harvey, who allowed five runs in five innings Tuesday for his seventh loss in 10 decisions.

Strasburg hasn't paid close watch to Harvey's struggles, but he certainly knows the burden of expectations.

"I don't really keep tabs on what's going on over there," Strasburg said. "For myself, personally, I kind of found that pretty much since the first start of my big league career it kind of slowly goes downhill a little bit. You have to just find a way. Even if you don't have your best stuff, you still have to go out there and give it your all and that's all you can do."

Strasburg's teammates are certainly thrilled he pitches in front of them and they don't have to bat against him. Especially, Daniel Murphy, who had to face him time and time again last year with the Mets.

"Adjectives are tough to describe how well he's thrown the ball this year," Murphy said. "I'm glad he's on my side. And he's just been unbelievable. He gives up the one (homer), and like I said, (Ryan) Zimmerman and Tony (Anthony Rendon) get two right back and then it kinda goes into full shutdown mode for Stras right there."

"It's awesome," Rendon said. "It's fun to watch. Could be boring at times because he strikes everybody out. Now I'm gonna get like 10 hot shots next time he pitches. It's fun to watch. He's in his groove right now and it's fun to see."

Baker had one final thought on Strasburg's impressive run.

"I don't like to count," Baker said. "Just the next game is one more. That's all we ask is one more. Like that Blue Diamond commercial there where I'm from. One a week, a can a week. Just one week, one victory a week."