Nationals extend lead over Braves with win
Source: Agencies |
August 23, 2012, Thursday
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THE Washington Nationals took an even stronger grip on a playoff position by beating their closest rival, the Atlanta Braves, 4-1 on Tuesday, yet the performance of ace pitcher Stephen Strasburg only heightened the growing debate about his future this season.
Strasburg (15-5) struck out 10 batters and only allowed one run in six innings to guide Washington to a win that moved the team seven games clear of the Braves in the National League East division.
He would loom as the Nationals ace in their seemingly certain playoff campaign, but the team has set a strict limit on how many innings he will pitch this year, believed to be somewhere between 160 and 180 innings. Tuesday's game took him up to 145 1-3 innings.
All the talk around the game is whether the Nationals stick to the limit - designed to protect Strasburg from injury - or whether they abandon it as they chase an unexpected shot at the World Series.
Atlanta has lost four straight and this sequence of losses to Washington means a wildcard berth is probably the best it can achieve this season.
In the National League West, the race for top spot is much closer, with San Francisco edging its lead over Los Angeles out to 1 1/2 games by beating the Dodgers 4-1. Giants ace Tim Lincecum (7-13) has had a disappointing season but performed strongly on Tuesday, allowing only one run over 5 2/3 innings.
Tiebreaking homer
The Cincinnati Reds increased their lead in the Central to 7 1/2 games by edging the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4, with Zack Cozart hitting a tiebreaking homer on the first pitch of the ninth inning.
Their closest pursuers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, slipped back with a 5-7 loss to the San Diego Padres. Chase Headley hit a two-run homer for San Diego in the bottom of the tenth inning for the walkoff winner.
The Arizona Diamondbacks suffered a similar setback to their playoff hopes as they too lost in extra innings, going down 5-6 at home against the Miami Marlins. Miami had trailed by five runs early but fought back for a gritty win, with Giancarlo Stanton hitting the winning single with two outs in the 10th.
The St. Louis Cardinals won 7-0 over the hapless Houston Astros, and moved within half a game of Pittsburgh.
Adam Wainwright (12-10) pitched a shutout for the second time this season.
Strasburg (15-5) struck out 10 batters and only allowed one run in six innings to guide Washington to a win that moved the team seven games clear of the Braves in the National League East division.
He would loom as the Nationals ace in their seemingly certain playoff campaign, but the team has set a strict limit on how many innings he will pitch this year, believed to be somewhere between 160 and 180 innings. Tuesday's game took him up to 145 1-3 innings.
All the talk around the game is whether the Nationals stick to the limit - designed to protect Strasburg from injury - or whether they abandon it as they chase an unexpected shot at the World Series.
Atlanta has lost four straight and this sequence of losses to Washington means a wildcard berth is probably the best it can achieve this season.
In the National League West, the race for top spot is much closer, with San Francisco edging its lead over Los Angeles out to 1 1/2 games by beating the Dodgers 4-1. Giants ace Tim Lincecum (7-13) has had a disappointing season but performed strongly on Tuesday, allowing only one run over 5 2/3 innings.
Tiebreaking homer
The Cincinnati Reds increased their lead in the Central to 7 1/2 games by edging the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4, with Zack Cozart hitting a tiebreaking homer on the first pitch of the ninth inning.
Their closest pursuers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, slipped back with a 5-7 loss to the San Diego Padres. Chase Headley hit a two-run homer for San Diego in the bottom of the tenth inning for the walkoff winner.
The Arizona Diamondbacks suffered a similar setback to their playoff hopes as they too lost in extra innings, going down 5-6 at home against the Miami Marlins. Miami had trailed by five runs early but fought back for a gritty win, with Giancarlo Stanton hitting the winning single with two outs in the 10th.
The St. Louis Cardinals won 7-0 over the hapless Houston Astros, and moved within half a game of Pittsburgh.
Adam Wainwright (12-10) pitched a shutout for the second time this season.
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