Nats fluster Cards again
Scherzer takes no-hit bid into 7th inning
ST. LOUIS — Max Scherzer was strength and fire. Aníbal Sánchez was artistry and deception.
Two different styles, two absolute gems for the Washington Nationals.
Scherzer followed Sánchez’s near no-hitter with a try of his own, and the stingy Nationals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 on Saturday for a 2-0 lead in the NL Championship Series.
“We really want to win here,” Scherzer said. “So that’s what’s going to happen, we’re going to compete and win.”
Scherzer didn’t allow a hit until Paul Goldschmidt led off the seventh inning with a single that left fielder Juan Soto played conservatively with a 1-0 lead. A day earlier, Sánchez held the Cardinals hitless until José Martínez had a pinch single with two down in the eighth.
Sánchez and Scherzer also began the 2013 ALCS with consecutive no-hit bids of at least five innings for Detroit against Boston.
They are the only pitchers to accomplish the feat in postseason history.
“The way he can change speeds and execute pitches, it’s a treat to really watch and get to pitch with him,” Scherzer said. “For me, I’m just in the moment. I’m not trying to do anything great, I’m just trying to stick within my game.”
Scherzer struck out 11 batters and walked two in seven innings.
It doesn’t get any easier for St. Louis, either. Ace Stephen Strasburg gets the ball for the Nationals when the best-of-seven series moves to Washington for Game 3 on Monday night. Jack Flaherty pitches for the Cards.
“They have a pretty strong advantage right now,” Cardinals righty Adam Wainwright said.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in our hitters. I think our hitters are going to do something special in Washington.”
St. Louis got another solid performance from Wainwright, who struck out 11 in 7⅓ innings.
But after getting only one hit in the opener, the Cardinals’ got three hits against Scherzer and the Washington bullpen.
“We trust in each other. We’ve been in this position before,” Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina said.
“We just have to figure out how to get better.”
St. Louis got its first run of the series when center fielder Michael A. Taylor misplayed Martínez’s pinch-hit liner into an RBI double with two outs in the eighth. But then Dexter Fowler flied out.
Patrick Corbin got the first out of the ninth inning before Daniel Hudson earned his third save of the playoffs. The righthander was reinstated from the postseason paternity list before the game.
Corbin is expected to start Game 4 for the Nationals on Tuesday night.
Monday
St. Louis at Washington
5:38 p.m., TBS