Starter Max Scherzer struck out a Nationals-record 16 batters and pitched a one-hitter, losing his perfect-game bid on a single that barely fell in bounds during the seventh inning to lead Washington to a 4-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.
Carlos Gomez got Milwaukee’s only hit, leading off the seventh with a broken-bat looper to right field just beyond the outstretched glove of second baseman Anthony Rendon. Scherzer looked the other away after the ball dropped.
After losing his previous two starts, Scherzer (7-5) rebounded with the most overpowering game of his career, which includes a Cy Young Award, two All-Star selections and a lot of strikeouts.
Photo: Benny Sieu-USA Today
In the first season of a US$210 million, seven-year contract, Scherzer got his second complete game in his 211th career start.
Scherzer set a career high for strikeouts and broke the Washington mark of 14 set by Stephen Strasburg.
The Nationals scored two runs off rookie Taylor Jungmann (1-1), who labored through five innings in his second career start. Clint Robinson added a two-run double with two outs in the seventh off Jeremy Jeffress.
YANKEES 5, ORIOLES 3
In Baltimore, Maryland, John Ryan Murphy had the Yankees’ only hit in a three-run fifth inning, helping salvage the finale of a three-game series.
Mark Teixeira drove in a run and scored one to help the first-placed Yankees end Baltimore’s six-game winning streak.
New York starter Adam Warren was pulled with two outs in the fifth and replaced by Chasen Shreve (3-1), who went 1-1/3 innings. Dellin Betances, filling in for injured closer Andrew Miller, worked around a walk in the ninth for his third save.
Nolan Reimold had two RBIs for the Orioles, who managed only six hits after scoring 20 runs on 31 hits in their previous two games.
Baltimore were seeking a seventh straight win for the first time since 2005.
The Yankees trailed 3-2 before rallying in the fifth. Orioles rookie Mike Wright (2-2) issued three straight walks — all on 3-2 pitches — to load the bases and Brian Matusz walked Garrett Jones with the count full to force in a run. Two outs later, Murphy hit a two-run double off the glove of third baseman Manny Machado.
BLUE JAYS 13, RED SOX 5
In Boston, the Toronto Blue Jays won their 11th straight game to equal the team record, routing Boston as Ryan Goins homered, doubled and drove in five runs.
Danny Valencia also homered as the highest-scoring club in the majors completed a sweep at Fenway Park and sent Boston to their season-worst sixth straight loss.
It was the fourth time Toronto had won 11 in a row, most recently in 2013. The Blue Jays could set a new team mark when they visited the New York Mets yesterday.
Goins’ three-run homer capped a six-run fourth inning as the Blue Jays roughed up rookie Eduardo Rodriguez (2-1).
Marco Estrada (4-3) gave up five runs in five innings.
David Ortiz hit a three-run homer for Boston, who fell 10 games under .500.
PIRATES 1, PHILLIES 0, 11 INNINGS
In Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Josh Harrison singled home Neil Walker with two outs in the 11th to lift Pittsburgh to victory.
Walker singled off Jonathan Papelbon (1-1) to start the late rally. Jose Tabata reached when Philadelphia shortstop Freddy Galvis threw a routine grounder into the stands. Harrison followed with a crisp shot up the middle as the Pirates won their fourth straight.
Antonio Bastardo (2-1) picked up the win with an inning of scoreless relief. The Pirates have swept six series this season, the most of any team in the majors.
Former teammates A.J. Burnett and Cole Hamels spent most of the afternoon overwhelming opposing batters. Burnett, who spent a forgettable season with Philadelphia last year before returning to Pittsburgh in the off-season, scattered five hits in nine shutout innings to drop his ERA to 1.89.
Hamels was just as dominant, giving up four singles in seven innings to go with one walk and 12 strikeouts.
Sunday’s other results:
‧ Diamondbacks 4, Giants 0
‧ Rays 2, White Sox 1
‧ Rockies 4, Marlins 1
‧ Mets 10, Braves 8
‧ Tigers 8, Indians 1
‧ Cubs 2, Reds 1
‧ Astros 13, Mariners 0
‧ Twins 4, Rangers 3
‧ Athletics 8, Angels 1
‧ Dodgers 4, Padres 2, 12 innings
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