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Jul 4, 2015 - 2:26 AM Even with Max Scherzer being virtually unhittable of late, the Washington Nationals might be a bit more excited about the solid return of their other standout right-hander.

Finally healthy and pitching well, Stephen Strasburg will look to win his third straight start since coming back from injury and remain undefeated against the San Francisco Giants on Saturday in the second of a three-game series at Nationals Park.

Strasburg went 2-2 in five April starts before struggling in May, going 1-3 with a 10.13 ERA and reaching the fifth inning once in five outings.

He was placed on the disabled list with neck tightness after facing five batters at Cincinnati on May 29 and returned June 23 with five shutout innings in a 3-1 home win over Atlanta - part of a club-record 48 straight scoreless innings by the starters.

The hard-throwing Strasburg (5-5, 5.49) was just as good Sunday in the opener of a doubleheader at Philadelphia. In his deepest start since April 19, he went seven innings and gave up two runs with a season-best nine strikeouts in a 3-2 victory.

"It's good to be back getting into a game and getting into a routine," said Strasburg, who has a 1.50 ERA and two walks in 12 innings since returning. "My fastball command was good. Everything is off the fastball and I was locating it pretty good today."

The most important element of Strasburg's strong outing may have been his pitch count, which was a season-high 113. The former No. 1 draft pick was a workhorse for Washington (44-36) last year with a career-high 215 innings and an average of 96.9 pitches per start.

"He pitched great," manager Matt Williams said. "It's nice that he's healthy. It's important for him to stretch it today and also important for our whole team."

He has a tough act to follow after Gio Gonzalez worked seven outstanding innings in a 2-1 victory Friday. Clint Robinson took care of all the offense Gonzalez would need with a two-run homer in the seventh.

Strasburg has had little trouble with the Giants (42-39), going 3-0 with a 3.10 ERA in five regular-season starts, although a 7.14 run-support average hasn't hurt his chances.

He also pitched well against them Oct. 3 in the opener of the NL division series, allowing two runs - one earned - in five innings of a 3-2 defeat. The Nationals lost that series in four games and the lone pitcher they beat was Madison Bumgarner, who took the loss in Game 3 despite tossing seven innings of three-run ball.

Bumgarner (8-4, 2.99) will take the hill opposite Strasburg looking to win back-to-back outings for the first time since a three-start streak May 15-26. The left-hander, however, has been a hard-luck loser during a solid stretch.

He has a 2.03 ERA in his last four starts but lost the first two because San Francisco was shut out by Arizona and Seattle. Bumgarner also walked away without a decision June 23 against San Diego even though he allowed two runs and struck out a career-best 14.

The Giants finally made some contact and plated six runs in Bumgarner's previous start. He went 7 2-3 innings after a shaky first and allowed two runs in a 6-3 win over Colorado on Sunday - and he also helped himself with his eighth career homer.

"That's a special moment," he said. "Anything to help us put runs on the board."

Bumgarner is 2-3 with a 2.60 ERA in seven regular-season starts against the Nationals, but San Francisco has provided one run of support over his previous three.