Welcome Back, Stephen Strasburg

You will recall that just over a year ago, the Washington Nationals announced that Stephen Strasburg -- the best player in Nats history -- needed Tommy John surgery. So he's been out all season.

But tonight he was finally back. Naturally, it was a rainy and gloomy night. Nevertheless, a bunch of us showed up at Nats Park to see his return -- and he was great. In five innings, Strasburg threw 56 pitches, 40 for strikes. He gave up a lead-off double, then retired 11 batters in a row, then yielded a single, then retired the last 4 batters he faced. He also had four strikeouts in five innings. He left with the Nats holding a 3-0 lead. We all gave him a big cheer.

In the top of the sixth, the Nats put in Doug Slaten to pitch. He would probably only have to hold the Dodgers for a few innings, because rain was expected to come at any moment -- at which point the umps would call the game and Strasburg would have his first victory of the year. Here's what the Dodgers did instead:

Single
Infield single (runners on first and second)
Strikeout (1 out)
Infield single (1 run scores, runners on first and second)
Walk (bases loaded)
Single (2 runs score, runners on first and second)
Single (bases loaded)
Double Play

So that tied the score at 3. Now the rains have come in the 7th, and they just rolled out the tarp. But Strasburg will not be getting the win he deserved.

NATSTOWN!