Tigers top Nats in Strasburg's debut
3/10/2010VIERA, Fla. - Top draft pick Stephen Strasburg has made his spring training debut for the Washington Nationals, pitching two scoreless innings in a 9-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Starting for Washington, Strasburg threw 15 of his 27 pitches for strikes and allowed two hits, successive two-out singles by Don Kelly and Alex Avila in the second. But the right-hander finished off Brent Dlugach with a bending, 81 mph breaking ball for an inning-ending strikeout. Strasburg struck out two.
PEORIA, Ariz. - Jason Vargas pitched into the fourth inning in another impressive outing but the Seattle Mariners lost to the Cleveland Indians.
Vargas, one of four candidates for Seattle's fifth starter spot, allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out one in 32/3 scoreless innings.
Aaron Laffey pitched two scoreless innings for Cleveland, and Wes Hodges had a pair of two-run doubles.
Franklin Gutierrez hit a two-out, two-run triple in the fourth for Seattle.