Stephen Strasburg and Nats bats win 11-4

Stephen Strasburg is now 5-0 in July with his nine strikeout performance against the Dodgers today. The Nationals took the finale series with a convincing 7-1 win, the Dodgers did win the season series by taking four of the seven games played.

Strasburg retired the side in order in five of seven innings he pitched. He gave up a two-out double to score the one run against him.

Strasburg and Phillies right-hander Nick Pivetta are the only starting pitchers to strikeout at least nine Dodgers with no walks in their starts this season.

Walker Buehler took the loss, from the start, you could see he might not have his best game today. He fell behind early and had two three-ball counts to start the game.

The Dodgers did score first, in the fifth inning, A.J. Pollock doubled to become the first baserunner for the Dodgers. With two out, Will Smith was hit-by-a-pitch and then Matt Beaty doubled home Pollock. That gave the Dodgers their short-lived lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Gerardo Parra got a swinging bunt hit and then Brian Dozier homered to right-center. Later on in that inning, Victor Robles tripled and Anthony Rendon grounded a single through the open right-side of the infield to make it 3-1.

Things went off the rails in the sixth inning, with one out, Buehler walked Parra and Dozier to load the bases. Strasburg singled home Howie Kendrick.

Then Trea Turner grounded to first but Joc Pederson’s throw was bad and the Nationals scored two more runs to make 6-1.

That sent Buehler to the bench and then Yimi Garcia came in to pitch. Garcia did not pitch badly, he did give up a run on a seeing-eye short fly to right that went off Pederson’s glove.

The Nationals added to their run differential by scoring four runs in the eighth inning. The Dodgers cut that differential by scoring in the ninth.

Corey Seager hit a three-run homer in the ninth with two outs to make it 11-4. Matt Beaty flew out to right to end the game.

Sunday particulars

Home runs: Brian Dozier (15), Juan Soto (18), Corey Seager (9)

WP: Stephen Strasburg (14-4), 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 9 K

LP: Walker Buehler (9-2), 5⅓ IP, 8 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K

Box score

Up next

The Dodgers will close out July with their final regular season trip to Denver. The Rockies will have Jon Gray on the mound against Dodger right-hander Kenta Maeda to begin the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40 p.m. PDT.