Strasburg dominates Phillies for first career shutout

The Phillies were swept by the Nationals Sunday night after being shut out in the finale of their three game set 6-0. With the loss, the Phillies fall to 52-65 on the season, 19 games back of the first place Braves. It was the team’s eleventh straight road loss.

Strasburg shuts down Phillies’ bats

Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg cut through the Phillies lineup, allowing just four hits in a complete game shutout with ten strikeouts. Against the Phillies this season Strasburg has gone 17 innings and allowed only one run, while racking up ten punchouts. 

The only hits Strasburg allowed were four singles- two from Kevin Frandsen and one a piece from Domonic Brown and Jimmy Rollins. At just 90 pitches through eight innings, Washington let him return for the ninth and earn his first complete game and shutout of his professional career. 

Kendrick struggles again
Early in the season Kendrick was easily the Phillies’ best starter. Now, he has struggled to show even glimpses of his prior success. The right-hander got touched up for six runs (four earned) on 11 hits in just 4 1/3 innings Sunday, marking the fourth time in his last seven starts he allowed six runs, and the second time in his last three starts he has not lasted five innings.

Kendrick allowed a run in the first, but never really settled in despite scoreless innings in the second and third. He gave up two more in the fourth, and then, aided by a Chase Utley error, three more in the fifth before he was pulled. On June 25, Kendrick’s ERA was 3.46, and since then it has ballooned more than 100 points to 4.48.

Up Next…
The Phillies will head further south tomorrow to open a series against the first place Braves. Cole Hamels (4-13, 3.81 ERA) will take the baseball opposite young right-hander Julio Teheran (9-5, 2.96 ERA). First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.