Nats’ Scherzer dominant in return
WASHINGTON — Max Scherzer overpowered Giancarlo Stanton, Howie Kendrick hit a three-run triple and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 11-2 on Monday night.
Scherzer (13-5) allowed one run and five hits, including Christian Yelich’s home run, and had 10 strikeouts in his return from the 10-day disabled list.
Stanton, named NL Player of the Week for the second time this month on Monday, went 0 for 3 against Scherzer with two strikeouts and a groundball double play one day after becoming the first NL player to hit 50 home runs in a season since Prince Fielder in 2007.
Jayson Werth had a two-run homer off Jose Urena (12-6) in his first game with the Nationals since suffering a left foot contusion on June 5.
Matt Wieters added a two-run single in the decisive sixth for an 11-1 lead as Washington halted Miami’s four-game winning streak.
Stanton batted .448 (13 for 29) with five home runs and 11 RBI last week. His 17 homers in August are one shy of the major league record of 18 set by Rudy York in 1937. The slugger didn’t hit the ball out of the infield against Scherzer.
The two-time Cy Young award winner missed two starts since his last outing on Aug. 13 against San Francisco with inflammation in the left side of his neck. Scherzer threw 100 pitches, struck out at least 10 batters for the 14th time this season and lowered his ERA against the Marlins in 2017 to 1.17 over four starts.
Werth missed 75 games after fouling a ball off his foot at Oakland. He was activated Monday from the 60-day DL following a six-game rehab assignment. His blast in the fourth put Washington up 4-1 after Miami scored in the top half of the inning on Yelich’s homer.
Werth later singled as Washington loaded the bases in the sixth against reliever Dustin McGowan.
Rhys Hoskins ended his homer streak but did drive in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning double, Aaron Nola pitched seven strong innings and Philadelphia beat Atlanta. Cameron Rupp homered for the Phillies, who have connected in 10 straight games and totaled 21 homers over that stretch. Adam Jones hit a milestone home run, Welington Castillo had three hits and two RBIs and Baltimore beat Seattle for their fifth straight victory. Christian Vazquez had four hits, including a two-run home run, Eduardo Nunez added a solo shot and Boston beat Toronto, snapping a four-game skid.
Mike Montgomery pitched six-hit ball into the eighth inning and helped himself at the plate, leading the Chicago Cubs to a victory over Pittsburgh.