WASHINGTON (AP) – Max Scherzer delivered quickly, tossing a five-hitter to lead the Washington Nationals over the Miami Marlins 3-1.
Then it was on to more important matters.
Scherzer hustled out of Nationals Park after a game that took only 2 hours and 37 minutes, hurrying to be with their wife Erica for the birth of their third child on Sunday night.
“We knew going into it. That’s why we tried to make it a quick game,” catcher Yan Gomes kidded.
Scherzer (2-2) carried a shutout into the ninth inning before Isan Diaz led off a home run.
The right-hander, who bounced back from a subpar outing against the Blue Jays, struck out nine without a walk and hit a batter while throwing 106 pitches. He had 23 of 31 first-pitch strikes,” said manager Dave Martinez before announcing Scherzer’s other news. “As a starting pitcher, that’s what you’ve got to do.
Scherzer was the 12th career complete game; they got loud applause from the approximately 8,500 fans at Nationals Park when he came out to start the ninth, unaware of how special a day it was for Scherzer.
Ryan Zimmerman backed Scherzer with a three-run homer.
“Typical of him to do something cool on obviously on an interesting day for him,” Zimmerman said. “For him to complete the game and pitch the way he did today and then go over and have a baby with his wife. Pretty cool day for him. We’re happy for him. He never ceases to amaze me. I guess that is the best way to put it.”
Yan Gomes added two hits for Washington, which improved to .500 with its fourth straight win.
After getting swept by Washington, the Marlins finished 3-7 on their road trip.
“It’s hard to say it was a good trip at all,” manager Don Mattingly said. “We had a chance to come in here and win a series and be even on the road, and we didn’t do that.”
Miami rookie Trevor Rogers (3-2) hadn’t allowed a run in his past two games, spanning 13 innings. Against Washington, he gave up three runs on four hits, three walks, and a hit batter in five innings while striking out six.
“He was a little out of sync today, but that shows you what he’s made of,” Mattingly said. “He hangs in there. With runners on first and second in the Washington third, Rogers caught Victor Robles trying to steal third. Trea Turner walked, and then Zimmerman sent an 0-2 fastball over the 402-foot sign in the center. Outside of that pitch to Zimmerman, he’s got a chance to put up zeros. The 36-year-old Zimmerman, who opted to sit out the 2020 season, is hitting .319 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in limited action. He’s hit safely in eight of his ten starts.
