Scherzer suffers rare loss, Richard flirts with no-no

WASHINGTON: Brandon Crawford went 4 for 4 with a two-run homer, and the San Francisco Giants dealt Max Scherzer his first loss in more than two months, defeating the Washington Nationals 2-0 on Sunday.

After Pablo Sandoval walked leading off the fourth, Crawford homered into the second deck in right for his eighth of the season.

He singled in the first and doubled in the sixth and eighth innings.

Since May 1, Crawford is hitting an MLBbest .439 (58-for-132) and has raised his average to .338.

Scherzer (10-2) had won nine straight decisions since his last loss on April 4.

He allowed two runs and four hits while striking out nine over seven innings.

Derek Holland (4-6), a 10-year veteran facing Washington for the first time, allowed three hits and two walks in five innings as five pitchers combined for the three-hitter.

Hunter Strickland pitched the ninth for his 13th save.

At Miami, Clayton Richard became the latest pitcher to flirt with the first no-hitter in San Diego Padres’ history, losing his bid with two outs in the seventh inning in the team’s 3-1 win against the Miami Marlins.

The Padres are the only team in the majors that have never thrown a no-hitter.

They have played 7,881 games since starting out in 1969.

Richard (5-6) took a shutout into the seventh, but Miguel Rojas grounded a clean single up the middle to spoil Richard’s try and JT Riddle followed with an RBI single.

Richard gave up two hits in seven innings, striking out five and walking three.

RESULTS

(home team in CAPS)

Chicago White Sox 5, BOSTON 2; TORONTO 13, Baltimore 3; Cleveland 9, DETROIT 2; Seattle 5, TAMPA BAY 4; MINNESOTA 7, LA Angels 5; Houston 8, TEXAS 7; OAKLAND 3, Kansas City 2; CINCINNATI 6, St Louis 3; San Diego 3, MIAMI 1; PHILADELPHIA 4, Milwaukee 3; Pittsburgh 7, CHICAGO CUBS 1; Arizona 8, COLORADO 3; San Francisco 2, WASHINGTON 0; LA DODGERS 7, Atlanta 2; NY METS 2, NY Yankees 0