Motivated Scherzer leads Nationals past Arizona
WASHINGTON —Eight years later, Max Scherzer still finds a little extra motivation when he faces his first major league team.
Scherzer struck out a seasonhigh 11 to bounce back from his worst outing this season as Washington defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 on Thursday after losing Bryce Harper to a groin injury.
Scherzer (4-2) allowed one run and two hits in seven innings against the team that drafted him in 2006.
“He came out strong and had that look in his eye,” Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. “And you could tell by that opening pitch that he wanted to beat the Diamondbacks.”
Scherzer also was 2-for-3 at the plate, driving in Washington’s first run with a second-inning infield single that pitcher Braden Shipley could not pick up with his bare hand.
Scherzer is 5-0 with a 2.41 ERA in six starts against the Diamondbacks, who traded him to Detroit after the 2009 season. He admitted facing his former team inspires him.
“You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t,” he said. “But you’ve got to find something to motivate you every single time. You can’t go out there and just rely on, ‘This is a former team’.”
CUBS 5, PHILLIES 4 (13): In Chicago, Albert Almora Jr. doubled leading off the 13th inning and scored on a throwing error by shortstop Freddy Galvis, giving the Cubs a win.
Kris Bryant had four hits, Miguel Montero homered and drove in two runs, and Matt Szczur and Addison Russell hit run-scoring doubles as the Cubs extended their winning streak to
three.
ROCKIES 3, PADRES 2 (11): In San Diego, Ryan Hanigan’s RBI infield single in the 11th inning lifted Colorado.
Hanigan, who had homered earlier in his Rockies’ debut, hit a grounder up the middle that Erick Aybar fielded, but he was unable to flip the ball to Cory Spangenberg at second for a force. That allowed Ian Desmond to score.
ORIOLES 8, RED SOX 3: In Boston, Manny Machado hit a long three-run shot for his third homer of the series and Baltimore capped four tense days at Fenway Park with a win over Boston.
Machado hit a 466-foot drive over the Green Monster during a five-run fourth inning. Seth Smith had four of Baltimore’s 17 hits.
In a four-game set marred by beanballs, brushbacks and racial rancor, the finale was a sedate affair decided in the fourth when the Orioles turned a two-run deficit into a 6-3 lead.
RAYS 5, MARLINS 1: In St. Petersburg, Fla., Tim Beckham homered twice for the second time in eight days, driving in four runs to lead Tampa Bay to the win.
Matt Andriese (2-1) struck out eight over seven innings to match his longest outing this season. BREWERS 5, CARDINALS 4:
In St. Louis, Jesus Aguilar’s first major league home run broke a seventh-inning tie, sending the Brewers to the victory against banged-up Cardinals.
Cardinals right fielder Stephen Piscotty departed after the second inning with a strained right hamstring and center fielder Dexter Fowler came out following the third with a strained right shoulder.
WHITE SOX 8, ROYALS 3: In Kansas City, Mo., Derek Holland struck out seven in 6⅔ innings, helping the White Sox earn a split of their four-game series against the Royals.
REDS 4, PIRATES 2: In Cincinnati, Joey Votto doubled twice, drove in two runs and scored twice, leading Tim Adleman and the Reds over Pittsburgh.
Adam Duvall drove in Votto both times as the Reds won for the fourth time in five games. Cincinnati is 6-1 against the Pirates this year.
RANGERS 10, ASTROS 4: In Houston, Joey Gallo homered and drove in three runs, Rougned Odor and Elvis Andrus also homered and Texas stopped a seasonworst four-game skid.
After twice giving up leads earlier in the series, the Rangers went ahead 4-0 in the first inning and used the bullpen to help avoid a four-game sweep.
ATHLETICS 8, TWINS 5: In Minneapolis, Jharel Cotton struck out nine in six innings and Ryon Healy hit his fourth home run of the season to lift Oakland.
Cotton (3-3) gave up three runs and three hits, and Stephen Vogt had two hits and two RBIs to help the A’s avoid a three-game sweep.
MARINERS 11, ANGELS 3: In Seattle, Danny Valencia homered and drove in three runs as Seattle crushed Los Angeles.
METS-BRAVES: New York’s game at Atlanta was postponed because of rain.
No makeup date was immediately announced. TIGERS-INDIANS: The game between the Tigers and Indians in Detroit was postponed because of bad weather. There was no makeup date immediately announced.