WASHINGTON - After three straight walk-offs, the Washington Nationals went for a cakewalk instead. Sure, winning late over and over again is a thrill, but its not good for the blood pressure — not to mention the workload of the bullpen. Stephen Strasburg provided much of the salve Tuesday night, allowing one run and three hits over a season-high eight innings as the Nationals ran their winning streak to eight games with an 8-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. "I guess its what the doctor ordered," Strasburg said. That, along with a six-run third inning. Asdrubal Cabreras bases-clearing double blew the game open, giving Washington an overdue breather in what is now its longest winning run since August 2012. "I think were just coming together," said shortstop Ian Desmond, who had four RBIs. "Weve kind of established our way, I guess you would say." Success had come with suspense for the Nats: four consecutive one-run games, including the last three decided by the final at-bat, and the last two in the 11th inning. But Strasburg (10-10) did just what the Nationals needed him to do: eat up innings to give the overtaxed relievers a break. He struck out four to give him an NL-leading 198 for the season, besting his previous single-season high of 197 in 2012 — the year he was shut down early after returning from elbow surgery. "The way Stephen pitched is, I hope, indicative of what were going to see in the future," Desmond said. "Hes been great a lot in his career, but tonight was one of those games where it was really fun to watch." The Nationals sent seven batters to the plate in the third before the Diamondbacks could record an out. Rookie Chase Anderson (7-5) faced six of them, allowing five singles and a walk before he was pulled in the shortest outing of his young career. Jayson Werths broken-bat single up the middle scored the first Nationals run, and Desmonds single brought in two more. After Bryce Harpers single loaded the bases, Anderson was pulled for Eury De La Rosa, who gave up Cabreras drive that took one bounce before hitting the wall in right-centre. "I just kind of didnt attack the guys like I should attack," Anderson said. "I think if you execute pitches and get ahead, you can kind of get anybody out. Thats just the name of the game." David Peraltas first-inning home run accounted for all the scoring for the Diamondbacks, who have lost four straight. MAYBE I SHOULDNT TELL THE SKIPPER Nationals manager Matt Williams praised Desmonds ability to "shorten down" on a swing that produced a pair of runs: "Hes going to get a bunch of homers, we know that, but when he can take a two-run single, hes feeling it and hes seeing the ball good." Oops. Turns out it was totally an accident. Desmond said he was just trying to fight off a pitch. "I dont know if I chose to shorten up," Desmond said. "I think the jammage probably shortened me up a little bit." ENDERS END GAME Diamondbacks CF Ender Inciarte grounded out in the ninth to finish an 0-for-4 night, ending his team rookie record hitting streak at 18 games. TRAINERS ROOM Nationals OF Nate McLouth will have surgery Thursday for a torn labrum in his right shoulder and is done for the year. He hit .173 with one home run and seven RBIs in 79 games in his first season in Washington. UP NEXT Arizonas Trevor Cahill (3-8, 4.68 ERA) faces Tanner Roark (12-7, 2.93) on Wednesday night in the third game of the four-game set. Derrick McKey Jersey . He made that dream a reality Wednesday night. Olt, who grew up in Branford, Connecticut, attended UConn and made a nearly 2 1-2 hour trek to Boston a handful of times to watch the Red Sox, belted a two-run homer, one of four hit by Cubs in a 16-9 rout that completed a three-game interleague series sweep. Jack Sikma Jersey .Y. - Geno Smith shouted a couple of mighty expensive expletives. https://www.supersonicsjerseys.com/340s-...upersonics.html. Ilonen birdied five of his closing seven holes in superb scoring conditions to end the day with a two-shot lead on the Fota Island course. Ilonen had just 26 putts on the occasion of his 300th European Tour event. Joe Hassett Jersey .com) - NFL owners have unanimously approved the sale of the Buffalo Bills. Avery Johnson Jersey . -- Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana agreed Tuesday to a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles as he tries to come back from the second major operation on his left shoulder.Englewood, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - The Denver Broncos have picked up the fifth-year option on the contract of linebacker Von Miller, which keeps the 2011 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year under team control through 2015. Miller is slated to earn $9.754 million in 2015, the final year of his rookie deal, though the salary is guaranteed for injury only. The move was not unexpected, as the 25-year-old has emerged as one of the leagues premier pass rushers since being taken by Denver with the No. 2 overalll pick of the 2011 draft.dddddddddddd Miller racked up 11 1/2 sacks as a rookie, then tallied 18 1/2 along with six forced fumbles while earning first team All-Pro honors in his second season. He is coming off a difficult 2013 campaign, however, as he sat out the first six games for violating the NFLs substance abuse policy and missed the entire postseason after tearing his ACL in late December. He finished with 34 tackles, five sacks and three forced fumbles in nine regular-season contests. ' ' '