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July 19 (UPI) -- Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg recorded two hits in the same inning -- including a three-run homer -- during a rout of the Atlanta Braves Thursday. The bomb came in the third inning of the 13-4 victory at SunTrust Park in Atlanta. Washington put up eight runs in the third frame, after trailing 1-0 to begin the inning.
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"That's just how crazy this game is," Strasburg told reporters. "Obviously my focus is going out there and trying to keep the other team at bay, but sometimes you just run into the ball.
"I've always been told that a swinging bat's a dangerous one. So I was just able to connect on one."
Strasburg hit a lead-off single against Braves starter Kyle Wright to begin the frame. He scored a game-tying run on an Adam Eaton triple two at-bats later. Anthony Rendon plated Eaton with an RBI double in the next at-bat and Brian Dozier made the score 3-1 by walking with the bases loaded, before Victor Robles hit an RBI double.
The Braves pulled Wright in exchange for relief pitcher Touki Toussaint to pitch to Strasburg. The right-handed pitcher tossed a fastball for a ball to begin the exchange. He then threw Strasburg another fastball, which the Nationals starter smashed over the left field fence, scoring Dozier, Robles and himself to give Washington an 8-1 advantage.
Strasburg's 420-foot homer had an exit velocity of 105 mph and left the field in 4.7 seconds, according to Statcast.
The Nationals pitcher plated two more RBIs with a fifth-inning single. The Braves scored two runs in the sixth, before the Nationals posted another three runs in the eighth. Braves slugger Nick Markakis homered for the final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth frame.
Strasburg went 3-for-5 with five RBIs and two runs scored in the win. He is now hitting .136 on the season. The Nationals star allowed three runs and eight hits in 5.1 innings to pick up his 12th win of the season.
The Nationals and Braves resume their series at 7:20 p.m. EDT Friday in Atlanta.
