Washington Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg struggles in season debut vs. Miami Marlins

MIAMI — Jazz Chisholm bunted for a single on the first pitch of Stephen Strasburg’s return from a one-year absence, stole second and the Marlins kept on going in a 7-4 win over the Washington Nationals on Thursday night that finished a three-game sweep.

The 33-year-old right-hander, pitching on the 13th anniversary of Washington selecting him with the first overall pick in the amateur draft, allowed 7 runs, 8 hits and 2 walks in 4⅔ innings.

Strasburg (0-1) struck out five and hit a batter, throwing 63 of 83 pitches for strikes while averaging 91.9 mph with his fastball.

The three-time All-Star and 2019 World Series MVP had not pitched in a major league game since June 1 last year, spending much of the time recovering from surgery on July 28 to correct thoracic outlet syndrome, a compression of nerves, arteries or veins near the neck or armpit. He had made three minor league rehabilitation starts.

The Marlins had been 0-12 in 15 games started by Strasburg since May 5, 2015. His record against them dropped to 21-8.

Trevor Rogers (3-5) allowed two runs and six hits in five innings.

Jesus Sanchez homered and doubled against Strasburg, and Chisholm had two bunt singles. Garrett Cooper doubled and singled, giving him six straight multihit games.

Chisholm scored on Sanchez’s RBI double and Jon Berti followed with a two-run single for a 3-0 lead in the first. Miami entered with 13 first-inning runs — only Detroit with 12 had fewer.

Juan Soto hit a two-run single in the fifth before Miami chased Strasburg in a four-run bottom half that included Cooper’s RBI double, Jesus Aguilar’s run-scoring single and Sanchez’s two-run homer.

Washington closed in the seventh when Lane Thomas had an RBI double and Victor Robles ran home on right fielder Avisail Garcia’s throwing error.

Anthony Bass got the final out in the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth. Tanner Scott closed with a perfect ninth for his third save.