|
In the first inning, Strasburg threw 15 pitches, 10 for strikes. He issued a two-out walk to Jeff Salazar on a 95 mph fastball but got lefty-swinging Josh Bell on a soft flyout to left to end the inning.
Tides second baseman Scott Moore was Strasburg's first strikeout victim, unable to react to an 81 mph curveball on a 1-2 offering in the second. Strasburg then induced both shortstop Robert Andino and first baseman Michael Aubrey to ground out to first -- Aubrey on a 97 mph fastball on a 3-0 pitch -- to end the inning.
Norfolk right fielder Blake Davis led off the third by hitting a hard one-hopper on an 0-2 pitch that glanced off shortstop Pedro Lopez's glove for an error. Davis was then caught stealing and Strasburg struck out Donachie looking at an 80 mph curveball and Gathright looking at a 98 mph fastball over the inside corner.
Strasburg retired the side in order in the top of the fourth on 16 pitches, getting his fourth strikeout when Salazar could only wave at an 83 mph curve.
The Tides went down in order again in the fifth as Strasburg registered two more strikeouts. Moore went down on three pitches, the last a 95 mph fastball across the middle of the plate, and Aubrey was caught looking at an 82 mph curve.
"He's comfortable with taking on information and putting it into his game," Jewett said. "Obviously, there's a huge amount of talent there, but he did exactly what the pitching guys asked him to do. It was great work. You just don't see changeups like that very often. The fact that he understands it, trusts it ... is really mature."
A franchise-record crowd of 13,777 turned out for Strasburg's debut on Friday night, but despite clear skies and a gametime temperature around 50 degrees, only 6,702 fans came out Wednesday night.
The Nationals are expected to keep Strasburg in the minors until early next month. Strasburg, who starred at San Diego State, signed a $15.1 million, four-year contract, a record for an amateur player, with Washington last August.
"I know they have a plan for me," he said. "I'm still hungry. I'm starting to smell it a little bit. Hopefully, I can get there soon. I don't want to be in Triple-A the rest of my career."
That shouldn't be a problem.
[Associated Press;
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching & Learning | Home and Family | Tourism | Obituaries
Community |
Perspectives
|
Law & Courts |
Leisure Time
|
Spiritual Life |
Health & Fitness |
Teen Scene
Calendar
|
Letters to the Editor