The Sports Xchange
Jun 3, 2017
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Right-hander Stephen Strasburg pitched seven solid innings and the Washington Nationals pounded out 20 hits with five home runs in a 13-3 rout of the Oakland Athletics on Friday night at Oakland Coliseum.
Right fielder Brian Goodwin, starting in place of the suspended Bryce Harper, went 4-for-5 with a two-run homer -- his first major-league blast -- and a triple, finishing a double shy of the cycle.
Daniel Murphy went 4-for-6 with a solo home run, two RBIs and two runs for Washington. Anthony Rendon had a three-run homer, a double and three RBIs. Michael Taylor had a solo home run, a double and two runs, and Jayson Werth hit a solo shot and scored twice.
Every batter in the Nationals' starting lineup had at least one hit.
Harper served the second game of his three-game suspension for fighting Giants reliever Hunter Strickland after being hit by a Strickland fastball on Monday at AT&T Park.
The Nationals, who lead the National League with 82 home runs, won their fourth straight game and for the ninth time in their past 11 games. They extended their lead in the NL East to 11 games over the New York Mets and have the NL's best record at 34-19.
Strasburg improved to 7-1 and extended his winning streak to five games. He gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts and three walks. In his previous start, Strasburg blanked San Diego on three hits in seven innings and struck out 15, matching his career high.
Oakland right-hander Andrew Triggs (5-5) allowed six runs and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings and lost his third straight game.
Matt Joyce had a two-run homer and Yonder Alonso a solo shot, his 15th home run of the season, for the A's, who were coming off a 2-7 road trip. Oakland fell 15 1/2 games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West.
The Nationals built a 2-0 lead on the strength of solo shots by Taylor in the second and Murphy in the third off Triggs. Murphy hit his 10th home run and Taylor hit his fifth.
Oakland pulled even in the bottom of the third when Rajai Davis walked with one out and Joyce launched a two-run shot into the right-center field seats off Strasburg. The blast was Joyce's sixth of the season.
The Nationals answered with four runs in the fourth when they batted around and took a 6-2 lead. Anthony Rendon and Matt Wieters started the rally with back-to-back doubles. Then with two outs, Trea Turner lined an RBI single to center, went to second on a wild pitch and stole third as Werth walked.
Murphy followed with an RBI single, knocking Triggs out of the game, and Ryan Zimmerman greeted reliever Frankie Montas with a run-scoring single.
NOTES: A's RHP Jesse Hahn (strained right triceps) will throw a bullpen session Saturday and said he feels ready to return to the rotation. Hahn has been on the 10-day disabled list since May 24. ... A's LHP Sean Doolittle (strained left shoulder) made his first rehab appearance since going on the disabled list April 30. He pitched a scoreless seventh inning for Class A Stockton. He had no strikeouts or walks. Doolittle will make at least one more rehab appearance. ... Nationals OF Chris Heisey has had an apparent setback in his recovery from a ruptured right biceps. Heisey began a minor-league rehab assignment on Monday but was at the Coliseum on Friday to be re-evaluated by Washington's trainers. "He might have rushed it some," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "We'll just have to re-evaluate things." ... Baker (1,800-1,590) notched his 1,800th major-league victory. He became the 16th manager in major-league history with at least 1,800 wins.