Preliminary overnight Nielsen ratings show that the Nationals game on MASN has set a new record high rating for the network, earning a 7.1 HH rating as more than 165,000 households in the Washington region tuned in to watch an historic pitching performance.

Among the key demographic of adults aged 25-54, the game earned a 4.4 HH rating, also a MASN record.

"For a Tuesday night in June against the Pirates, these ratings are simply stunning" said MASN spokesman Todd Webster.

Stephen Strasburg went 7 innings and struck out 14 in his much anticipated Major League debut.

Nationals ratings have grown steadily throughout this season. Year-over-year the Nationals ratings are up 66 percent and last month the network set new Nationals ratings records in May when back to back games against the Mets earned 2.0 HH ratings. The previous high was in August, 2007 when Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's home run record against the Nationals in San Francisco.