Braves win, Strasburg succumbs to 104-degree heat
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Mike Minor won for just the second time in 12 starts and the Atlanta Braves overcame 104-degree heat to beat Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals 7-5 on Saturday.
Strasburg (9-3) left after just three innings because of weather-related issues. He didn't return to begin the fourth, tying for the shortest outing of his 33-start career.
Braves officials reported no major health problems among the announced crowd of 26,491. The team credited eight free water stations at Turner Field with helping fans cool off.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Strasburg allowed two hits, three runs and four walks. Throwing 36 of his 67 pitches for strikes, Strasburg struck out four to reach 122, most in the majors.
Strasburg took extra time between pitches and walked slowly between innings. He hit an RBI single and left trailing 3-2 after the Braves' three-run third.
Nationals manager Davey Johnson came out of the dugout after the third to tell home plate umpire Marvin Hudson that Strasburg was leaving as Chien-Ming Wang jogged in from the bullpen.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Nationals, who had won 12 of Strasburg's 15 previous starts, trailed after Strasburg gave up an RBI double to Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman's sacrifice fly and Dan Uggla's RBI double.
Atlanta had lost four of six and dropped 16 of 26 to Washington at home dating to October 2009, but the Braves scored three runs in the fourth and one in the fifth off Wang to take a 7-2 lead.
Strasburg lost consecutive starts for the first time since June 2010, when Kansas City and Atlanta beat him in the fourth and fifth starts of his career. His previous shortest outing was Sept. 11, 2011, when he received no-decision at home against Houston — the second start he made after returning from elbow surgery on Sept. 3, 2010.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Minor (4-6) had lost his last two starts, allowing eight earned runs and four homers at the New York Yankees and Boston. The left-hander was pulled for Kris Medlen with no out in the sixth and runners on second and third.
Medlen gave up RBI singles to Tyler Moore and Jesus Flores as the Nationals cut the lead to 7-4.
After the Nationals made it 7-5 in the seventh on Adam LaRoche's RBI double, Chad Durbin replaced Medlen and walked two before stranding the bases loaded on a grounder by Flores.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Craig Kimbrel earned his 23rd save and converted his 15th straight opportunity by retiring Ryan Zimmerman on a groundout and striking out Michael Morse and LaRoche. Kimbrel was coming off a rare loss in a non-save situation Thursday against Arizona that ended his 17-game scoreless streak.
Washington led 1-0 in the first on Zimmerman's RBI groundout.
Strasburg helped himself with an RBI single in the second after a double by LaRoche.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In the third, Strasburg walked Michael Bourn and Martin Prado before Heyward doubled for Atlanta's first hit on Strasburg's 61st pitch.
Minor stranded the bases loaded in the third when Ian Desmond grounded into a double play and then retired six of the next seven batters.
In the fourth, Wang gave up Juan Francisco's RBI double, Bourn's RBI double and Prado's sacrifice fly. In the fifth, Andrelton Simmons' RBI single made it 7-2.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}NOTES: Strasburg is 1-2 with a 6.28 in three career starts at Turner Field. ... Simmons had three hits. ... Bourn stole two bases, giving him 22 this year.