Stephen Strasburg struck out nine over 6 2/3 scoreless innings and earned the win Thursday afternoon as the Washington Nationals spoiled the New York Mets' home opener with a 4-0 victory.

Wilmer Difo had two RBIs via a second-inning safety squeeze and a ninth-inning single for the Nationals, who were held to one hit -- Victor Robles' leadoff homer in the sixth -- through eight innings before collecting four hits and adding two insurance runs in the ninth. Ryan Zimmerman lofted a sacrifice fly two batters before Difo delivered his hit for Washington, which won its second straight.

Noah Syndergaard took a hard-luck loss for the Mets, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. New York fell to 37-21 all-time in home openers.

Strasburg (1-0) allowed three hits and one walk as he improved to 8-1 and lowered his ERA to 2.14 in 11 starts at Citi Field. Matt Grace, Justin Miller, Tony Sipp and Sean Doolittle combined to limit the Mets to one hit over the final 2 1/3 innings.

Syndergaard (0-1) allowed two runs on one hit and two walks while striking out six.

The Nationals built a run without a hit in the second, when Syndergaard opened the inning by walking Juan Soto and Zimmerman, then uncorked a wild pitch that advanced both runners. Syndergaard struck out Yan Gomes before Soto scored easily on Difo's bunt.

The Mets built their lone threats against Strasburg in the fifth and seventh. Wilson Ramos led off the fifth with a single, the game's first hit. After Ramos was forced on a grounder by Jeff McNeil, Amed Rosario reached on an error by third baseman Anthony Rendon. But Strasburg struck out Juan Lagares and Syndergaard to escape the inning.

In the seventh, McNeil and Rosario singled with two outs to chase Strasburg before Grace struck out pinch-hitter J.D. Davis.

Ramos finished with two hits.

--Field Level Media