Strasburg makes adjustments in solid outing

VIERA, Fla. -- Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg was solid in an 11-1 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. He pitched three innings and allowed one run on two hits.

Strasburg was able to throw his slider a lot more than he did in his first start of the spring. When he was in the bullpen before the game, the slider felt great. But he had to make adjustments after the game started.

"In the 'pen, it felt really good. [In the game], I was like almost over throwing it. It had a little too much movement," Strasburg said. "But I took a step back and I started to get some better results with it."

Before the exhibition season started, Strasburg said he wanted to do the little things to help the team win ballgames. He did just that in the third inning. With two outs, Kolten Wong hit a grounder past first baseman Brock Peterson, but second baseman Danny Espinosa grabbed the ball and threw to Strasburg for the final out of the inning.

"Those are the things we have to do to win, to be competitive to win every day," manager Matt Williams said. "I don't want to give [the opponents] extra outs. That's part of the process."