Max Scherzer shuts down Diamondbacks, who lose their 3rd straight.

Max Scherzer struck out 11 over seven innings of four-hit ball, Trea Turner hit a leadoff home run and the Washington Nationals beat the Diamondbacks 3-1 Friday night.

Scherzer (7-1) retired15 in a row after giving up a home run to David Peralta leading off the third inning. The twotime NL Cy Young Award winner also hit an RBI double, and remained unbeaten since April 4.

Anthony Rendon also homered for the Nationals, who have won five of six. Sean Doolittle earned his second save in as many nights and eighth of the season.

Matt Koch (2-1) went eight innings and allowed three runs and seven hits.

Turner opened the game with his seventh career leadoff home run, landing near the Arizona bullpen. Peralta tied it at 1 with his seventh homer.

The Diamondbacks had runners on second and third and none out against Scherzer in the bottom of the first, after a Peralta single and bunt single by Jarrod Dyson on which Scherzer overthrew first base. But Scherzer retired the next three hitters without allowing a run, two on strikeouts.

Scherzer was charged with his first error the season. He helped himself in the fourth with a two-out, ground rule double that gave Washington the lead.

Washington left fielder Andrew Stevenson made a diving catch in the fifth to take away from Nick Ahmed.

Rendon connected for his third home run in the eighth. The next batter, Matt Adams, had a potential homer taken away by right fielder Chris Owings, who reached over the fence for the catch.

Star turn times three

Koch faced a former Cy Young Award winner for the third consecutive start in Scherzer. On May 1 he was matched up against the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw, and on May 6, Justin Verlander of the Astros.

Barrett brought up

The Diamondbacks called up righthanded pitcher Jake Barrett from Triple-A Reno before Friday’s game, after optioning reliever Silvino Bracho to Reno after Thursday’s game.