WASHINGTON — In negotiations that went right to the deadline, No. 1 overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals agreed yesterday to a record-breaking contract worth about $15 million over four years.

"He's chomping at the bit to get out on the mound. He's ultra-, ultra-competitive," acting Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said, "and I think he was getting a little tired of sitting around the house."

The San Diego State pitcher's deal is worth roughly 50 percent more than the previous highest guaranteed deal for a player in baseball's amateur draft, the $10.5 million Mark Prior got from the Chicago Cubs in 2001.

"We thought we signed the player for his value," Rizzo said, calling Strasburg "the most coveted amateur player in the history of the draft and a potential front-line starting pitcher."

The last-place team and the hard-throwing right-hander faced a deadline of midnight last night to come to an agreement. And, according to Nationals president Stan Kasten, they resolved everything without much time to spare — "11:58 and 43 seconds," he said.

Strasburg gets a four-year contract covering 2009-12 that will pay him slightly more than $15.1 million. The exact amount depends on prorating his $400,000 salary for this year, based on the date the contract is official.

If no agreement had been reached by the deadline, the team would have relinquished its rights to Strasburg. A year ago, Washington failed to reach an agreement with its first-round selection, Missouri pitcher Aaron Crow.

At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, and with a fastball that can reach 100 mph, Strasburg went 13-1 last season, leading Division I pitchers in ERA (1.35) and strikeouts (195 in 109 innings), and won the Golden Spikes award for the top U.S. amateur baseball player.

Cardinals 3, Dodgers 2: Rick Ankiel put St. Louis ahead with a two-run homer in the seventh inning, and Chris Carpenter pitched eight innings of five-hit ball in St. Louis' ninth victory in 10 games by beating host Los Angeles.

Braves 9, Diamondbacks 4: Ryan Church hit a three-run double in a six-run third inning that lifted host Atlanta past Arizona.

Giants 10, Mets 1: Aaron Rowand homered and had four hits, and San Francisco won to split the four-game series at New York.

Pirates 9, Brewers 5: Andy LaRoche, Garrett Jones and Ronny Cedeno homered and Pittsburgh won for only the second time in its past 14 games by beating visiting Milwaukee.

Padres 4, Cubs 1: Rookie Kyle Blanks hit a three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of ninth as host San Diego beat Chicago.