Taylor homers as Nats split
WASHINGTON — After two games, 6½ hours of play and two blown saves, the Washington Nationals emerged from a day-night doubleheader with a hard-earned split and — more importantly — ace Max Scherzer’s left knee OK to pitch.
Scherzer endured a scary line drive to grind out six innings, Michael Taylor hit a go-ahead tworun homer in the eighth and Washington overcame another dodgy bullpen outing to earn a 6-5 win in Game 2 over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night.
“I went into this game with a little blister on my finger,” said Scherzer, the defending NL Cy Young Award winner. “Obviously after I got hit, my blister hurt less. So that was the good news.”
Bryce Harper went 3 for 4, doubled and drove in two runs in Game 2. He also belted his 12th home run in Game 1, but Philadelphia won 4-3 after Washington’s third blown save in six games.
The Nationals blew another one later Sunday when Freddy Galvis’ two-run triple off Jacob Turner (2-1) put the Phillies ahead 5-4 in the eighth.
After striking out three times, Taylor homered off Pat Neshek (01), belting a first-pitch slider off the
Washington’s Michael Taylor hits a two-run homer in the eighth inning of the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies. left field foul pole. The runs were Neshek’s first allowed this season.
“Oh man, I was just hoping that it hit the foul pole,” said manager Dusty Baker of the homer that sealed a series victory for the first-place Nationals. “You don’t get another chance at that pitch.”
Said Neshek: “Terrible pitch. He was looking for it.”
Matt Albers worked the ninth in Game 2 for his second save after Shawn Kelley blew a save in Game 1. Ty Kelly had a tiebreaking single during a three-run ninth in the day game.
Scherzer was drilled in his left knee by Michael Saunders’ shot in the fourth inning and went tumbling. After briefly climbing to his feet before returning to the ground, he was still grimacing several minutes later while being examined by a Nationals medical staff member.
“Once I was able to get back Mark Tenally / The Associated Press
onto it and walk on it for a second, I knew it wasn’t broken,” Scherzer said. “And then obviously the pain was pretty intense, but I just needed to catch my breath.”
He eventually got to his feet, threw three warmup pitches and gave a thumbs-up sign, sending Baker back to the dugout.
Scherzer allowed two runs in the fourth and another in the sixth but escaped further damage when Brock Stassi was tagged out at home trying to score after misreading an infield single.