Scherzer goes 4 innings in return, Nationals top Pirates 7-1
PITTSBURGH – Max Scherzer pitched four innings in his return from the injured list, giving up one run as the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1 on Thursday night.
Scherzer allowed four hits, struck out three and walked one. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was put on the IL on July 26 with a strain in his upper back – a day earlier, he made his first start since being on the injured list with a back issue.
The Nationals hadn’t set a pitch count for Scherzer in this game, but said they would closely monitor him.
Anthony Rendon and Howie Kendrick homered for Washington, which leads the NL wild-card race and won for the ninth time in 11 games.
The Pirates fell to 8-30 since the All-Star break. Steven Brault (3-3) allowed two runs in six innings.
Scherzer is 7-0 in his past 11 starts. Hunter Strickland (2-1) allowed one hit in two innings for the win.
Scherzer struggled in the third, using 25 pitches and allowing Adam Frazier’s seventh home run of the season on a fastball with one out. He stranded runners on first and second by striking out Colin Moran.
Kendrick singled, doubled and hit his 14th homer, a two-run drive in the eighth that made it 4-1. Rendon hit his 28th home run in the ninth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: 2B Brian Dozier was reinstated from the paternity list. … RHP Kyle McGowin and INF Adrián Sanchez were optioned to Double-A Harrisburg.
Pirates: GM Neal Huntington announced Pittsburgh requested unconditional release waivers for C Francisco Cervelli, who has played 34 games while dealing with multiple concussions this season.
UP NEXT
Nationals: RHP Aníbal Sánchez (7-6, 3.99) is looking to avoid his first loss in more than more than three months when he takes the mound against the Cubs on Friday. He is 7-0 in 15 starts since allowing three runs in 4 1/3 innings of a 5-0 loss to the Dodgers on May 10.
Pirates: RHP Mitch Keller (1-2, 8.86) will try to get past the fifth inning for the first time against Cincinnati on Friday. The 23-year-old rookie has lasted five innings or fewer in each of his first five major league starts, including when he gave up six runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Cubs on Sunday.
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