Cy preview? Nola outduels Scherzer

WASHINGTON — Phillies manager Gabe Kapler has a rooting interest. Still, if it were his call, Aaron Nola would win the NL Cy Young Award.

“Just the dependability, the consistency, the creativity,” Kapler said. “The numbers. The numbers speak for themselves.”

It was all on display Thursday as Nola outdueled Max Scherzer in a meeting of All-Stars. Odubel Herrera hit a two-run homer in the seventh and the Phillies blanked the Nationals 2-0.

Nola (15-3) was masterful in his matchup with the three-time Cy Young Award winner, allowing five hits and one walk. He escaped his biggest jam with his final pitch, striking out Bryce Harper with runners on first and second to end the eighth.

“That was a tough battle,” Nola said. “I got behind in the count, and a couple curveballs slipped out of my hand a little bit. But I felt confident in my fastball to place it where I needed to.”

Nola struck out nine and has a 2.13 ERA — the same as Scherzer’s. Along with Mets star Jacob deGrom, they are considered the top candidates for the NL Cy Young this season.

The Philllies avoided their first five-game losing streak of the season and salvaged the finale of the three-game series.

“It seems like hitters get less comfortable every time they face Aaron,” Kaplan said. “Right when we needed him to step up, he really just put the team on his shoulders and carried us.”

Scherzer (16-6) was nearly as good in the first matchup of starters with at least 150 innings and sub-2.25 ERAs since the Cardinals’ John Tudor faced Mets ace Dwight Gooden on Sept. 11, 1985. Scherzer gave up two hits in seven innings and struck out 10, increasing his MLB-leading total to 244.