PHOENIX (AP) — Stephen Strasburg has seldom, if ever, had a start so bad. And the Arizona Diamondbacks took full advantage of it.
Mark Trumbo homered twice to drive in four runs, and the Diamondbacks emphatically snapped Washington’s five-game winning streak with a 14-6 rout of the Nationals on Tuesday night.
“I think this was exactly what we needed tonight,” Trumbo said, “especially after last night.”
Beaten by the Nationals 11-1 in the series opener Monday, the Diamondbacks turned the tables.
Bryce Harper hit his seventh home run in the last six games, a two-run shot. But not much else went right for Washington. The 14 runs were the most allowed by the Nationals since they moved to Washington in 2005 and were one shy of the most given up when they were the Montreal Expos.
Trumbo’s mammoth three-run homer into the second deck in left field ended Strasburg’s night with one out in the fourth inning. The eight runs allowed were a career worst for Strasburg (2-4), and the seven earned runs he gave up matched a career high.
PHOTOS: Trumbo hits 2 HRs, D-backs rip Strasburg and rout Nats 14-6
“I am embarrassed I let the team down,” he said. “I am just trying to go out there and help the team win some games and I didn’t do that tonight. I just have to turn the page and get back on it tomorrow.”
Strasburg had his start pushed back a day after leaving his previous outing after three innings with lower back tightness and had said he was fine going into Tuesday’s game. Manager Matt Williams said one good thing is that Strasburg made it through with no physical problems, just problems throwing the ball where he wanted to throw it.
“I think every time he made a mistake - not every time but close to every time - we put some wood on it and some really good things happened,” Trumbo said.
It was Trumbo’s sixth career multihomer game.
“He just looks good as a hitter,” Arizona manager Chip Hale said. “In Oakland, when we faced him, there were times when we couldn’t get him out, just like now. He’s a big man. Strong, good, short swing with really good bat speed. When that all comes together, there are some exciting things that can happen.”
Rubby De La Rosa (4-2) allowed four runs and eight hits in seven innings. He also got his first career RBI. Arizona has scored 25 runs in his last two starts.
Outfielder-infielder Clint Robinson tossed a scoreless eighth inning, the first time a position player has pitched for the Nationals since the franchise moved from Montreal.
Chris Owings was a home run short of the cycle for the Diamondbacks. David Peralta and Aaron Hill each added three hits.
Hill’s double to deep left field brought in two runs in the first inning. Ender Inciarte added a solo homer in the third.
Owings led off the Arizona fourth with a triple and scored on Tuffy Gosewisch’s single. Nick Ahmed singled, then Strasburg bobbled De La Rosa’s sacrifice bunt attempt, loading the bases. Inciarte brought one home with a sacrifice fly, then Trumbo hit one far into the outdoor eating area of Friday’s Front Row Sports Grill above the stands in left.
UMPIRE HURT
Plate umpire Kerwin Danley left the game after taking a sharp foul ball to the facemask off Ahmed’s bat in the second inning. He bent over in pain before walking off the field. Three umpires worked the rest of the game, with Gabe Morales behind the plate.
Danley was taken to a hospital as a precaution and for a possible concussion. He underwent a CT scan but the results weren’t immediately known.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: Right-handed reliever Casey Janssen pitched an inning for Double-A Harrisburg against Reading. Out with shoulder inflammation, he was eligible to come of the 15-day DL on Tuesday but will get some more rehab work in the minors.
Diamondbacks: C Oscar Hernandez popped scar tissue loose on his left hand while batting in an extended spring training game Monday. An MRI is scheduled later in the week. The Rule 5 acquisition has been sidelined since breaking his left hand in late March.
UP NEXT
Nationals: The teams conclude a three-game series with an afternoon matchup. The Nationals send LHP Gio Gonzalez (3-2, 3.62 ERA) to the mound.
Diamondbacks: Struggling RHP Jeremy Hellickson (1-3, 5.85) starts the series finale for Arizona. He has never faced the Nationals. Only two players on the Washington roster (Denard Span and Yunel Escobar) have batted against him.
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