Scherzer’s single lifts Nats in 14th

ATLANTA — Nationals ace Max Scherzer singled as a pinch hitter in the 14th inning and scored the tiebreaking run on Wilmer Difo's triple, sparking the Washington Nationals to a 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

In his third big league pinch-hit appearance, Scherzer singled up the middle against Miguel Socolovich and sped home from first base on Difo's hit to rightcenter field. Spencer Kieboom added an RBI single. Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, touched off a dugout celebration after he scored.

Justin Miller struck out five in three innings, facing the minimum, and Sean Doolittle got three straight outs for his 14th save in 15 chances. Washington's bullpen has allowed two earned runs in its last 33 innings.

CARDINALS 3, PIRATES 2:

Kolten Wong' led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run off Richard Rodriguez, giving St. Louis a win over visiting Pittsburgh. Austin Meadows had tied the score in the top half with a home run off Bud Norris, who blew a save for the first time in 12 chances.

ROYALS 5, ATHLETICS 4:

Jorge Soler hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning, and host Kansas City bounced back after wasting a four-run lead to defeat Oakland for its third win in four games.

BREWERS 5, WHITE SOX 0:

Jhoulys Chacin combined with two relievers on a five-hitter, and Milwaukee backed him with four home runs in a victory at Chicago. Chacin pitched three-hit ball over 5 2⁄3 innings, and Milwaukee won for the sixth time in eight games.

YANKEES 8, ORIOLES 5:

Giancarlo Stanton and Miguel Andujar homered to help Masahiro Tanaka win his fifth straight decision, and visiting New York extended Baltimore’s losing streak to seven games.

TIGERS 7, BLUE JAYS 4:

John Hicks' two-run single in the eighth inning broke open a tie game, and Detroit went on to beat visiting Toronto. TWINS 7, INDIANS 1: Eddie Rosario hit a two-run home run, and Brian Dozier drove in two runs to support Lance Lynn's third straight victory, leading Minnesota past visiting Cleveland.

DODGERS 12, ROCKIES 4:

Joc Pederson hit a pair of solo homers, Matt Kemp went deep during an eightrun seventh inning, and Los Angeles put on a rout at Colorado.