Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - Ian Desmond hit a three-run homer, Stephen Strasburg tossed six solid innings and the Washington Nationals beat the Texas Rangers, 9-2, in the opener of a three-game series.
Strasburg (4-4) gave up two unearned runs on six hits while striking out nine for the Nationals, who snapped a two-game skid.
"We had some more opportunities against him and we just couldn't get a base hit," Rangers manager Ron Washington said of Strasburg.
Tyler Moore knocked in two runs for Washington, which had 15 hits. Jayson Werth went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.
"I think it was just a party," Desmond said of the 15-hit barrage.
Texas starter Colby Lewis (4-4) allowed six runs -- five earned -- on nine hits with five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. Lewis also drove in a run.
The Rangers scored their only two runs of the game in the second inning. Adrian Beltre led off with a double to right-center field. After Alex Rios and Chris Gimenez struck out swinging, Leonys Martin reached base on Strasburg's fielding error. Rougned Odor and Lewis followed with consecutive RBI singles.
But the Nationals took the lead for good on Desmond's three-run homer in the fourth. Werth and Adam LaRoche singled to put men on the corners. With two outs, Desmond homered to right-center field.
Denard Span's speed gave Washington another run in the fifth. Span led off with a single, went from first to third on Anthony Rendon's groundout and then crossed the plate on first baseman Mitch Moreland's throwing error.
In the sixth, Moore came on as a pinch-hitter for Strasburg and hit a two-run double to make it 6-2.
The Nationals plated two more runs in the seventh. Rendon and Werth singled to put men on first and second. Both runners scored when Wilson Ramos hit a single to right that got past Rios. Ramos advanced to third on Rios' fielding error.
The home team scored another run in the eighth. Span singled, moved to third on Rendon's single and raced home on Werth's bloop single to right.
Game Notes
Span had three hits ... Lewis fell to 3-1 on the road this season ... The Rangers are now 6-3 on an 11-game road trip ... Rios had a 12-game hitting streak snapped ... Texas' Robbie Ross Jr. allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits over 2 1/3 innings.
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