Harper hurt as Scherzer dominates

WASHINGTON — Max Scherzer struck out a seasonhigh 11 to bounce back from his worst outing this season as the Nationals defeated the Diamondbacks 4-2 on Thursday after losing Bryce Harper to a groin injury.

Scherzer (4-2) allowed one run on 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 went 2-for-3 at the plate, driving in his team’s first run with a second-inning infield single.

Scherzer is 5-0 with a 2.41 ERA in six starts against the Diamondbacks, who traded him to the Tigers after the 2009 season. He acknowledged 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.’ ”

Scherzer gave up five runs on Travis d’Arnaud’s two homers in a 7-5 loss to the Mets last week. This time around, the NL Cy Young Award winner struck out the side in the fourth and the seventh, the only two innings he allowed a hit.

Harper left the game after striking out in the sixth inning, three at-bats after he said he got hurt while diving to rob D’backs starter Braden Shipley of a bloop base hit.

Baker called the injury day to day, and Harper suggested it wasn’t serious.

“Just trying to get out of there and get some treatment,” said Harper, who is batting .376 with nine homers and 27 RBIs.