WASHINGTON -- Alec Ashers first tour with the Philadelphia Phillies went very badly.This time around hes off to a great start.Ryan Howard hit a three-run homer, Asher pitched six innings of two-hit ball coming off a suspension, and the Phillies defeated the Washington Nationals 4-1 on Thursday night.Asher, acquired from the Rangers in the trade for Cole Hamels, ended last season in the Phillies starting rotation and went 0-6 with a 9.31 ERA in seven starts.Its a testament to his makeup, manager Pete Mackanin said of Ashers improvement. Last year he looked like he was a little nervous most of the time and got rocked around. It was good to see him confident.The right-hander pitched to contact, walking one batter without a strikeout, and throwing 75 pitches in earning his first major league victory.I felt like I wasnt myself at the end of last year and I kind of let the moment get to me, Asher said. I just said Im going to go out there and have fun. Im going to pitch to my strengths.Asher (1-0) was suspended for 80 games while on the disabled list with Triple-A Lehigh Valley in June after a positive drug test. He made four minor league appearances beginning in late August and his suspension ended Sept. 4.Everythings in the past now, Asher said. Its unfortunate what happened. Theres nothing I can do but come up here and pitch now. Happy to be back and looking to stay.Peter Bourjos homered for the Phillies, who snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Nationals.Trailing 4-0, Washington loaded bases with one out in the eighth inning. Daniel Murphy hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track and Bryce Harper struck out.Jeanmar Gomez pitched the ninth for his 36th save.The Nationals received hopeful news regarding Stephen Strasburg, who left his start in the third inning Wednesday night after feeling a pinch in the back of his elbow.Strasburg has a strained flexor mass in his elbow and the Nationals dont know when he will pitch again, but manager Dusty Baker and director of athletic training Paul Lessard voiced optimism after an MRI revealed no ligament damage.A.J. Cole (1-2), one of the pitchers the Nationals may rely on in Strasburgs absence, allowed four runs and five hits in five innings. He struck out eight batters without a walk.Ive always believed in myself as being a big league pitcher, Cole said, and Ive got to be able to show that, and thats what Im doing right now.Bourjos led off the third with a blast off the left field foul pole and, with two outs, Howard lifted a fly ball that carried over the fence in center. It was his 21st homer and career No. 378, tying him with former Nationals manager Matt Williams for 72nd on the all-time list.He just made a couple of pitches that he wished he had back tonight, Baker said of Cole. He seems kind of unfazed by the challenges of the big leagues.THREES COMPANYAsher joins Jerad Eickhoff and Jake Thompson -- who were also part of the Hamels trade -- in the starting rotation. Its kind of cool to see ... guys we got in the trade all in the rotation, Mackanin said. Its going to be fun to watch, I hope.DOUBLE DOINGSMurphy picked up his 40th double of the season, matching his career high. Hes the first second baseman in Nationals history (2005-present) to post a 40-double season.TRAINERS ROOMPhillies: 3B Mikail Franco (sore right thumb) was out of the lineup for the second straight game. Im not going to play him today just because its a little sore, Mackanin said. Theres a little bruising there.Nationals: Normally (these injuries) come around very well with treatment and strengthening programs, Lessard said of Strasburgs elbow. Its not a season-ending injury, but we still need to take time (so) that hes nice and strong because of his past.... Baker said RHP Joe Ross (right shoulder inflammation) is progressing well and the team is trying to determine where hell pitch next with few minor league games remaining.UP NEXTPhillies: Thompson (1-5, 6.48) makes his seventh career start and second against the Nationals. The right-hander allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings of a 4-0 loss to Washington on Aug. 29.Nationals: RHP Tanner Roark (14-8, 2.89) looks to continue his recent mastery of the Phillies. Hes 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA versus Philadelphia this season. His career mark against them is 5-5 with a 3.81 ERA in 11 games, including nine starts. Mats Hummels Jersey . But when it comes to determining if Raymond will find a place on the Leafs roster when training camp concludes in a week, well, that decision will ultimately fall to the head coach. Sebastian Rode Jersey . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. http://www.soccerfcbayernshop.com/kids-niklas-sule-munich-jersey/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. Thiago Alcantara Jersey . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Kingsley Coman Bayern Munich Jersey . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods.West Indies qualified for the semi-finals of the 2016 World T20, beating South Africa by three wickets with just two balls to spare in a thrilling contest in Nagpur. Marlon Samuels hit a run-a-ball 44 that seemed to be taking the West Indies to victory, chasing 123, but the West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals and when Imran Tahir (2-13) took two wickets in two balls in the 17th over, the match seemed to have swung in South Africas favour.Samuels himself fell in the penultimate over, with 10 still needed from seven to win, but Carlos Brathwaite (10no) smashed a huge six over midwicket off the second ball of Kagiso Rabadas final over as the West Indies ultimately got home.Chris Gayle starred but with the ball, his 2-17 helping restrict South Africa to 122-8 and bettering his two-ball stay at the crease with the bat. West Indies Chris Gayle (left) celebrates after dismissing Rilee Rossouw South Africa were 47-5 at one stage, with Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, Rilee Roussow, AB de Villiers and David Miller all dismissed for 10 or fewer, after West Indies won the toss and elected to field first.Amla was run out third ball and it quickly got worse for South Africa as skipper Du Plessis picked out Sulieman Benn at mid-off off Andre Russell (2-28), and Gayle grabbed the wicket of Rossouw, in the second and third overs.Dwayne Bravo (2-20) then picked up the key wicket of De Villiers, for 10, and Gayle added the scalp of Miller, both bowled. Quinton de Kock (47) continued his fine form, putting on 50 for the sixth wicket with David Wiese (28) to somewhat recover things, but just as the former was nearing his own personal half century, he too was bowled, round his legs byy Russell.ddddddddddddChris Morris (16no) struck Samuel Badree for back-to-back boundaries in the 17th over, but only 14 runs were added in the final three as South Africa continued to lose wickets.There was a glimmer of hope for South Africa when, after hitting his first ball for four, Gayle was bowled by a beauty from Rabada (1-38) that just clipped his off-stump.A brilliant throw from Rossouw at point accounted for Andre Fletcher, run out by a direct hit in the sixth over, but Johnson Charles (32) and Samuels batted sensibly, putting on 32 for the third wicket. Gayle was bowled after scoring just four runs Charles launched Aaron Phangiso for a 106-metre six over midwicket in the 11th over as West Indies seemed to be cruising, only for Charles to fall to a top-edge when attempting the same shot off Wiese (1-19) three balls later.Bravo was next to gift his wicket away an over after he and Samuels took 14 off Rabada, slapping Phangiso (1-19) straight to point, before Tahirs heroics in the 17th.Tahir started the over by dropping Samuels, but made up for it with the double-strike of Russell and Darren Sammy, bowled by his googly.With 20 needed from the final two overs, Samuels struck Morris for two fours before falling later in the over to a top-edge, but Brathwaite secured the win in the last, a result that means if England beat Sri Lanka on Saturday they too guarantee themselves a semi-final spot.Watch highlights of West Indies win over South Africa at 7.30pm and 9.30pm on Sky Sports 2.Then join us for live coverage of Englands Group 1 game with Sri Lanka from 1.30pm on Sky Sports 2 on Saturday, following New Zealands clash with Bangladesh at 9am. 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