PHILADELPHIA | Bryce Harper had never faced Stephen Strasburg in a regular-season game until Tuesday night.
After grounding out in the first, Harper smashed a three-run homer in the third to left field to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 4-1 lead over the Washington Nationals.
It was the fourth homer of the season for Harper and his second against the Nationals.
He also went deep on April 2 against Jeremy Hellickson, the former Phillies pitcher who will make his first start of the season Wednesday night in the series finale in Philadelphia.
Harper has now reached base in the first 10 games of the season. He signed a 13-year deal with the Phillies in late February after playing for the Nationals since 2012. Harper and Strasburg were both first overall picks by Washington.
Harper now has eight RBI in 31 times to the plate.
QUIZ: Can you match the nickname to the Major League Baseball player?
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