WASHINGTON - Stephen Strasburg struck out 10 in an encore to one of the best starts of his career, and Yunel Escobar had four hits and four RBIs as the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 13-3 on Sunday afternoon.

The Nationals moved within 6 1-2 games of the NL East-leading New York Mets, who play the Yankees later Sunday.

Escobar was 4 for 4 and had a three-run double in a seven-run sixth inning. Bryce Harper had three hits, including a double, and scored three times.

Strasburg (10-7) allowed two runs — one earned — in seven innings as Washington won its third straight.

Strasburg tied a career high with 14 strikeouts in his last start and has 37 strikeouts over his last three outings, a Nationals record since moving to Washington. He allowed six hits and walked only one while lowering his ERA to 1.98 over his last 11 starts. The Nationals are 9-2 in those games.

Tyler Moore homered for a second straight game to break things open.

Pedro Severino had a pinch-hit double in his major league debut.

Rookie left-hander Justin Nicolino (3-4) allowed seven runs in 5 2-3 innings for Miami, which lost the final three games of the four-game set.

Marcell Ozuna homered, doubled and drove in two runs for the Marlins, who end the season series 9-10 against the Nationals.

Escobar has hit safely in 19 of his last 21 games. He's batting .424 with 14 RBIs and 16 runs over that stretch.

Nicolino allowed seven hits — including Moore's blast — while walking two and striking out three in his 10th career start.

He appeared to settle after a three-run first, and trailed only 3-2 before things unraveled in the sixth following Ozuna's solo blast in the top of the inning.

Escobar and Harper singled to lead off the inning and Ian Desmond walked to load the bases. Escobar scored on Wilson Ramos' sac fly, and Moore ripped Nicolino's next pitch, an 86-mph cutter, into the Marlins bullpen.

Reliever Scott McGough fared little better, loading the bases before Escobar doubled to the gap to clear them and make it 10-2.

TRAINERS ROOM

Marlins: INF Martin Prado (left wrist) did not play for a third straight day.

Nationals: 2B Anthony Rendon was out of the lineup due to illness, manager Matt Williams said on his team's radio pregame show. . 1B Ryan Zimmerman (left oblique) started on the bench for a 10th straight game.

UP NEXT

Marlins: RHP Tom Koehler (10-13, 3.90) takes the hill Tuesday against Philadelphia to begin Miami's final homestand of the season.

Nationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez (11-7, 3.83) looks to improve upon his 3.04 ERA at Nationals Park this season against Baltimore RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (11-9, 4.31).