Nationals starters' scoreless streak spans entire rotation

WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals' starters' week-long scoreless streak includes a host of incredible statistics.

Here's another: It now spans one entire trip through the rotation.

Doug Fister continued the streak Thursday when he scattered four hits and a walk over seven shutout innings, striking out four in just his second start since coming off the disabled list last Thursday. The Nationals put up a run in the first, two in the second and three in the third to coast to a 7-0, sweep-clinching victory over Atlanta.

"I think (Fister) was as good as the numbers," Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He throws the ball over the plate at 85, 86 miles an hour with some cut, some sink. He was as good as we've seen him."

Washington's rotation's dominance began Friday when rookie Joe Ross pitched 7.1 innings, surrendering only one run. Since his second-inning blemish that night, the starters have pitched 41.1 consecutive scoreless frames, setting a new franchise record.

In the past six starts, their stat line goes like this: 43.1 innings, 24 hits, one earned run, five walks and 38 strikeouts. And in that time, the team is 6-0, outscoring its opponents by a combined 31-5.

The latest victims were the Braves, who came in just two games out of first place but leave at five back after managing just two runs in three games in Washington.

"They got some good pitchers on that staff, there's no ifs, buts or maybes there," Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "They got some quality, quality pitchers there going at you every single night. You can get those long streaks."

The last major-league streak this long was from May 9-15, 2008, when the Cleveland Indians' starters combined for 44.1 consecutive scoreless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland A's. C.C. Sabathia started the streak, followed by Aaron Laffey, Fausto Carmona, Cliff Lee, Paul Byrd and Sabathia again, before Laffey gave up an unearned run in the second inning of the seventh game. The Indians went four more innings without giving up an earned run.

This Nationals' streak, meanwhile, encompassed Max Scherzer's no-hitter, and now the rotation has gone all the way around and back to him. He takes the hill Friday as Washington opens a three-game series at Philadelphia, and the matchup seems to bode well for another strong outing: Scherzer's earned-run average is down to 1.76, and the Phillies have scored 3.3 runs per game, worst in the big leagues.

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