WASHINGTON -- Before last weeks start in New York, Stephen Strasburg noticed his curveball wasnt working the way he wanted it to. Wholesale NHL Jerseys China . He made an adjustment and dazzled the Mets, limiting them to two hits in six innings. Five days later, Strasburg relied on it again. Against the Houston Astros, the 23-year-old looked unhittable for five innings, struggled in the sixth and watched his team score four runs after he was lifted for a pinch-hitter as the Washington Nationals beat the Astros 6-3 on Monday. Strasburg allowed just three singles in the first five, but the Astros got to him in the sixth for two runs and three hits. Strasburg (2-0) walked one and struck out five. He hasnt allowed a home run in 50 1-3 innings -- since Aug. 15, 2010. His ERA rose from 0.69 to 1.42. "I thought I could get another inning out of him -- until that rough inning," manager Davey Johnson said. Steve Lombardozzi had three singles and a two-run double in the sixth off Kyle Weiland (0-2) that gave Washington a 4-2 lead. Ryan Zimmerman followed with a two-run single. Strasburg used the curveball regularly at San Diego State, and on Monday, he had his best since his Aug. 2010 Tommy John surgery. "I made an adjustment in New York with it. In the pen, it wasnt working warming up," Strasburg said. "I just wanted to go out there and trust it -- and it worked pretty well." Last week, Johnson allowed him to throw a career-high 108 pitches. He wanted Strasburg to throw fewer. Through five innings, he threw 61, but in the laborious sixth, Strasburg had to throw 32. "In his previous start, I took him longer than I wanted to. It probably took a little bit out of him," Johnson said. Strasburg wasnt surprised to be pinch-hit for, but didnt come out willingly. "He knows I want to go out there and stay out there as long as I possibly can. You want to go 7,8,9 innings. I got into a couple of jams that put the pitch count up." Weiland started for the seventh time in his major league career and is winless in five decisions. "You try to focus on your own game. Obviously, you know thats in the back of your mind. Hes going to go out there and give his best, and its probably going to be a low scoring game," Weiland said. After Strasburg left, Sean Burnett got two outs in the seventh, Ryan Mattheus allowed an earned run in the eighth, Tom Gorzelanny finished the eighth, and Henry Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his second save. In the third, Ian Desmond doubled to left with one out. Lombardozzi bunted, but Weiland threw the ball away, and Desmond scored on the error. Wilson Ramos hit his first home run with two outs in the fourth. In the sixth, Jordan Schafer and Jed Lowrie led off with singles. On the ninth pitch of his at-bat, J.D. Martinez walked to load the bases. Carlos Lee flied out to centre fielder Rick Ankiel, but Schafer elected not to attempt scoring. Ankiels threw home was perfect. After Strasburg struck out Travis Buck, Chris Johnson hit a two-run single to tie the score. In the bottom of the sixth, Ankiel singled with one out, and with two outs, Roger Bernadina, batting for Strasburg walked. Desmond walked to load the bases, and Lombardozzi, who was starting because Johnson wanted to rest Danny Espinosa, slapped a double to left, and Zimmerman followed with the two-run double. Weiland pitched 5 2-3 innings, allowing six runs and 10 hits. The Astros scored their final run in the eighth on a single to Travis Buck and a triple by Johnson -- his third hit of the game. They batted 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position. "With every pitcher I think, as you go and as you get at-bats off of him, your comfort level goes up a little bit. But hes got really good stuff. He throws hard and hes got three really good pitches," Chris Johnson said. NOTES: Strasburg singled in the fourth inning. Hes now 2 for 31 as a major league hitter. ... Nationals RHP Chien-Ming Wang will throw a simulated game in Viera, Fla., on Wednesday, and if that goes well, hell pitch in a minor league game. Wang has been on the disabled list with a left hamstring injury. ... TV evangelist Joel Osteen threw out the first pitch. Hell be conducting a service at Nationals Park on Apr. 28. ... The Astros have scored at least three runs in every game. ... Houston LHP Wandy Rodriguez (0-1, 2.38 ERA) is scheduled to throw against Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez (0-0, 3.38 ERA) on Tuesday night. Wholesale Sports Caps China . The Raptors announced on Wednesday that they would debut alternate jerseys with a green camo background on March 21 when Toronto hosts the Chicago Bulls. Wholesale Jerseys . The 30-year-old reliever missed part of spring training with a strained groin. He was placed on waivers after Toronto scored six runs in two innings off him during a game last week. http://www.stitchednflshop.com/ .C. -- The Odlum Brown VanOpen was in full swing at Hollyburn Country Club on Wednesday, but all eyes were on an exhibition match. Wholesale NBA Jerseys China . The unmarked Torres tapped the ball into the net from Ashley Coles cross from what appeared to be an offside position in the 81st minute to make it 3-2. "It was clearly offside which was really disappointing," said Reading manager Brian McDermott, who protested to the referees assistant. Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping . -- David Lee knows Golden State is doing things few expected.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Peyton Mannings whirlwind free-agency tour kicked off in grand fashion, complete with a chartered plane coming to pick him up and a helicopter hovering overhead as he met with the Denver Broncos. And this was only Day 1 of his adventure. Manning spent Friday in Tim Tebows neighbourhood, chatting with the Broncos for nearly six hours. Speculation was that Arizona was next up, and television crews were staking out the Cardinals headquarters in Tempe on Saturday. But there was no sight of the superstar. Not that the facility was quiet. The Manning frenzy coincided with Kurt Warners "Ultimate Football Experience," a fundraiser for his foundation. Manning is the NFLs marquee free agent after being released by the Indianapolis Colts two days ago. The Broncos rolled out the red carpet for visit by the four-time MVP. Brought in from Miami on a plane sent down to swoop him up, Manning spent the day with Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, who also serves as Denvers vice-president of football operations. Manning was escorted around the building, with coach John Fox and general manager Brian Xanders along as well. When his marathon day was over, Manning hopped into the same silver SUV he arrived in and was whisked away without talking to reporters. His next stop? There are more than a half-dozen other suitors, with Arizona and Miami among those expressing interest. But spending the first day in Denver certainly made for some interesting conversation. After all, this is a city still engulfed in Tebowmania, especially after the unorthodox quarterback led the Broncos to the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. But having Manning in for a visit raised anew the question that has hovered over the team: Is Tebow a long-term solution or just a feel-good story for a season? As news spread of Mannings arrival -- with reporters and TV helicopters covering every inch of the Broncos facility -- a handful of curious fans started making their way over. "Lets do it, Peyton," one of them yelled through a gate upon spotting Manning walking out of the weight room. He glanced over and gave a quick wave. Across the parking lot, one fan with an Elway jersey, another with a Tebow jersey and a few more with Mannings iconic Colts No. 18 showed up. "Peyton Manning is a terrific leader. He has amazing aim and seems to have a sixth sense of whats going to happen on the field. Hes phenomenal to watch," saaid Graham Millar, a lifelong Colts fan who lives in Aurora, Colo. Wholesale NCAA Jerseys China. "You feel like youre watching a psychic. But its preparation. He knows exactly what to expect from every single player on that field." According to The Denver Post, the Broncos sent a plane to pick up Manning in South Florida, where he has a condo. He had travelled there after an emotional news conference in Indianapolis on Wednesday, when he said goodbye to the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 1998 and he led to the 2007 Super Bowl championship. The plane then stopped in Stillwater, Okla., where Elway, Fox and Xanders were watching Oklahoma States pro day. The Broncos management met up with Manning, and everyone flew back to Denver. ESPNews carried live coverage of the flight arriving at an airport in Denver, then also followed Mannings car ride to Broncos headquarters. And while Manning met with Elway & Co., inside the building, a blue helicopter hovered overhead. This was only the beginning. Arizona, Miami, Kansas City, Seattle, Tennessee and Washington are among the other possible destinations, as Manning becomes one of the most coveted free agents in league history, even though he turns 36 later this month and is coming off a series of neck operations. He missed all of last season, and the Colts decided to cut ties rather than pay a $28 million bonus that was due this week. Its not often that teams get a chance to sign a quarterback who has thrown for more than 50,000 yards and nearly 400 touchdowns, been picked for 11 Pro Bowls, and been a Super Bowl MVP. Mannings importance to the Colts success was never more apparent than last season, when their record plummeted to 2-14 without him. Because he was released and went on the waiver wire Wednesday, Manning is allowed to negotiate and sign with any club immediately; he does not need to wait until the free-agent period that begins Tuesday. Chiefs owner Clark Hunt confirmed in an interview with NBC Sports Network that his team is pursuing Manning. "I dont know how important money will be to him, but Im sure it will be part of the equation," Hunt said. "Hes going to be looking for an environment that hes comfortable in." He declined to say whether the Chiefs already have offered Manning a contract. "I dont think it would be appropriate for me to talk about discussions at this point," Hunt said, "but he is somebody that well want to talk to." ' ' '