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WASHINGTON -- Stephen Strasburg was at his dominant best in the early going Saturday, retiring 13 of the first 14 Chicago Cubs he faced, seven via strikeout. And then it all fell apart for the Washington Nationals right-hander after a teammates error. The No. 1 overall draft pick in 2009 and NL All-Star in 2012 wound up dropping his fifth consecutive decision of 2013, slumping his shoulders and bowing his head while labouring through a 42-pitch fifth inning during an 8-2 loss to the Cubs. "I tried to tell him ... You have to keep your head up, every time. You never can put your head down," Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos said. "Because every time, when he puts the head down, he loses focus." Strasburg (1-5) hasnt won since opening day, April 1, against the lowly Miami Marlins. "Its hard to explain. He was throwing good, good stuff. Hitting his spots," manager Davey Johnson said. "And then it seemed -- where we needed him to pick us up, the air went out." The first of Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmermans pair of errors came with two outs in the fifth of a scoreless game, an off-target throw (he made a fielding error in the seventh). Strasburg followed with his first walk, to No. 8 hitter Darwin Barney, he of the .160 batting average. Then up came opposing pitcher Edwin Jackson, who delivered a full-count double to right-centre that made it 2-0. That accounted for Jacksons first hit and RBIs of the season; hed been 0 for 10. "If Strasburg punches him out there," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said, "its a whole different ballgame." Unraveling, Strasburg walked another batter and gave up Starlin Castros single to load the bases. Anthony Rizzo grounded a single up the middle, the ball bounding into centre to score two more runs. Instead of backing up home plate on the play, Strasburg ambled around on the infield grass and looked into the dugout. All four runs were unearned, and Strasburgs ERA actually dipped to 3.10. "I feel like Im going out there and pitching well. Just not happening on the days I pitch right now," Strasburg said. "Its all going to change. Its still early, and all I can do is just go out there and give everything I have every fifth day. Whatever happens, happens." Jackson (1-5), meanwhile, retired 12 of Washingtons first 13 batters and allowed two runs and four hits in 5 1-3 innings. He earned his first victory under a $52 million, four-year contract he signed after leaving Washington as a free agent, and in doing so, ended the Nationals five-game winning streak. "It was definitely nice to get that monkey off my back. ... It felt about the same size as me," Jackson said. "When things are going bad, you can fold and collapse," he added, "or you can continue to work hard and climb your way out of the hole." Sounds like advice Strasburg might want to heed. He entered Saturday with a 3.45 ERA and was averaging 6 1-3 innings per start; his five-inning stint against Chicago was his shortest outing of the season. And, to think, he actually got some defensive help right before the problems arrived. With one out in the fifth, Luis Valbuena laced a shot into the right-field corner for what should have been a stand-up double. Valbuena tried to stretch it into a triple and was thrown out at third, injuring the pinky on his right (throwing) hand in the process. Strasburg, backing up third base on the play, pumped his right fist to celebrate. Moments later, he was in a vastly different mood. "Hes too good a pitcher to let adversity behind him let him down," Johnson said. "Hes certainly capable of picking us up. Its a team effort. And errors are a part of the game." Shortstop Ian Desmond was asked whether he noticed Strasburgs demeanour change. "Its hard to see emotion and things like that on the field, because Im trying to watch the hitter, watch the pitch sequence, stuff like that. I would say (the media), the fans, things like that, probably have a little better visual of that than I do. But," Desmond said, pausing before adding, "it clearly wasnt the same." NOTES: Desmond drove in both of Washingtons runs. He had three hits -- a homer, double and single -- for the second game in a row. ... In the eighth, Cubs 1B Rizzo made a juggling catch of Zimmermans popup to shallow right, tumbling head-over-heels and barely avoiding a collision with a teammate. ... Cubs 3B Valbuena was replaced in the bottom of the fifth because of the hurt finger, but Sveum said X-rays showed it wasnt broken. Sveum listed Valbuena as day-to-day. ... In Sundays series finale, Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez (3-2, 4.97 ERA) faces Cubs RHP Scott Feldman (3-3, 2.70). Eric Dier Jersey .Y. -- Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo had little trouble picking up his first shutout of the season against a Buffalo Sabres team thats having trouble scoring goals. Mousa Dembele Jersey . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. http://www.footballhotspurstore.com/Women-Christian-Eriksen-Tottenham-Hotspur-Jersey/ ., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., took sixth spot on Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy ISU Grand Prix figure skating competition. Eric Dier Hotspur Jersey . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. Georges-Kevin NKoudou Jersey . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. CLEVELAND -- Rookie Max Kepler had three two-run homers and six RBI, leading the Minnesota Twins to a 12-5 win over the Cleveland Indians on Monday night.The German-born Kepler homered off All-Star Danny Salazar in the first and third innings and hit another off Cody Anderson in the sixth. His was the 12th three-homer game in the majors this season, and Kepler became the first Twin to homer three times in a game since Justin Morneau in 2007. He also had a single.Joe Mauer was 4 for 4 and homered in the eighth off Andrew Miller, who was making his first appearance with Cleveland after being acquired Sunday from the Yankees.Jose Berrios (2-1) retired 15 straight after a three-run first inning. The rookie right-hander, recalled from Triple-A Rochester before the game, allowed four hits in six innings.Salazar (11-4) lost for the first time since May 22. The right-hander allowed three homers and was charged with six runs in two innings, the shortest outing of his career.Miller received a standing ovation from the crowd of 15,018 when he ran in from the bullpen. He retired Kepler on a groundout, the only other batter he faced.Mike Napoli hit a two-run homer in the eighth for the Indians, whose lead in the AL Central over idle Detroit was cut to four games.dddddddddddd Minnesota is 6-4 this season against Cleveland.Kepler began the season at Rochester but leads AL rookies in homers (14) and RBI (44). He has homered 13 times and driven in 37 runs since June 19.Eddie Rosario led off the second with a home run. Jorge Polanco had a three-run triple in the third and tripled again in the fifth.Jose Ramirezs RBI single and Lonnie Chisenhalls two-run double gave Cleveland a brief lead in the first.Salazar didnt pitch in the All-Star Game because the Indians wanted to rest his arm. He pitched well in beating Kansas City on July 20 after going 10 days between starts, but has allowed 10 runs in six innings over his last two outings.TRAINERS ROOMTwins: OF Byron Buxton (right knee) is considered day-to-day after an MRI revealed no damage beyond an existing bone bruise.UP NEXTTwins: RHP Kyle Gibson went six innings and allowed two runs in his last start, a July 28 no-decision against Baltimore.Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco is scheduled to make his 100th career start. He is 5-2 with a 1.61 ERA in his last eight outings. ' ' '