Stephen Strasburg simply shrugged.
Two starts, two wins, 22 strikeouts and millions of fascinated fans. One dazzling debut – and a pretty fair encore.
“Just another week, you know?” Strasburg said.
Coming off a 14-strikeout opening act, Washington’s Strasburg, 21, had more trouble with Cleveland’s mound Sunday – it required repairs twice because of loose dirt – than Indians hitters during his second major league start, leading the Nationals to a 9-4 win.
Strasburg (2-0) allowed just two hits, one a leadoff homer in the second inning by Travis Hafner, who turned on one of the right-hander’s 100 mph fastballs. He struck out eight and walked five before leaving to a chorus of boos in the sixth.
Strasburgmania is sweeping the land.
He’s tuning it out.
“I’m still watching TV,” he said of the media’s insatiable interest in him. “I’m just not watching those channels.”
Strasburg’s appearance drew 32,876 fans, the second-largest crowd in Cleveland this season. On hand was another pitching prodigy, Hall of Famer Bob Feller, 91, who fanned 15 in his first major league start as a 17-year-old in 1936.
“It’s real refreshing to see anyone with such talent come into the league,” said Feller, who sat in his usual seat in the press box. “He’ll have good days and bad, but he’ll have a lot more good than bad throwing 100 miles per hour. I wish him well.”
Cubs’ Lilly wins battle of dueling no-nos
The Cubs’ Ted Lilly and White Sox’s Gavin Floyd put on a splendid display of pitching Sunday. Lilly took a no-hitter into the ninth inning before pinch-hitter Juan Pierre led off with a single in the Cubs’ 1-0 win at Wrigley Field.
Floyd flirted with a no-hitter of his own before Alfonso Soriano doubled with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Chad Tracy followed with a single, producing the game’s only run.
Reds’ Volquez continues rehab stint
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Edinson Volquez is scheduled to make his second rehab start since undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Volquez will start for Class A Lynchburg on Thursday.
Volquez, who had ligament-replacement surgery last Aug. 3, pitched three shutout innings for Lynchburg on Saturday.
Santana learns about majors’ evil ways
Indians rookie catcher Carlos Santana learned a valuable lesson in his third major league game: Don’t step in front of Adam Dunn.
Santana was flattened near home plate by the 6-foot-6, 287-pound Washington first baseman in the second inning. Santana moved to possibly catch an overthrow to first when he inadvertently stepped into the path of a scoring Dunn.
Santana was knocked off his feet and did a backward somersault but wasn’t hurt.
