Washington improved to a franchise-record 9-1 start to the season by winning 8-1 in Philadelphia on Saturday, led by pitcher Max Scherzer’s seven impressive innings and two-run double.
Scherzer (2-0) allowed one run, striking out seven, as the Nationals built their lead in the National League East division to five games.
Washington’s Bryce Harper connected in the fifth inning, sending a deep drive out to right field for his fifth homer of the season. The reigning NL MVP has gone deep in his past five games in Philadelphia, dating to last year.
Photo: AFP
Elsewhere, Detroit rallied for a win over Houston, Texas piled on six runs in the seventh inning to overwhelm Baltimore and the Chicago Cubs hit three homers in a win against Colorado.
Detroit’s Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning as the Tigers rallied for a 5-3 win over Houston.
Detroit trailed 3-0 in the first inning, but scored a run in the second and cut the lead to one in the fifth.
There was one out in the sixth when Saltalamacchia connected against Collin McHugh (1-2), launching his two-strike shot off the foul pole in right field to make it 4-3.
Texas’ Mitch Moreland hit a go-ahead double that bounced off the right-field fence, highlighting a seventh-inning burst that lifted the Rangers over Baltimore 8-4.
Rougned Odor’s two-run single piled on the damage, while Delino DeShields and Nomar Mazara each had three hits for the Rangers. Mazara, promoted from the minor leagues last week, has two three-hit games in seven starts.
Chicago’s Jake Arrieta threw eight scoreless innings to guide the Cubs to a 6-2 win against Colorado.
Arrieta (3-0), the reigning NL Cy Young winner, struck out eight. He has not allowed a run in his past 48-2/3 innings at Wrigley Field.
Dexter Fowler hit a three-run homer in the seventh, while Anthony Rizzo and Jorge Soler hit back-to-back shots in the fourth inning.
The Cubs have won nine of 11 for their best start since they went 10-1 in 1969.
In other games on Saturday, it was:
‧ Pirates 5, Brewers 0
‧ Braves 6, Marlins 4
‧ Rays 7, White Sox 2
‧ Indians 7, Mets 5
‧ Reds 9, Cardinals 8
‧ Mariners 3, Yankees 2
‧ Twins 6, Angels 4
‧ Red Sox 4, Blue Jays 2
‧ Athletics 5, Royals 3
‧ Padres 5, Diamondbacks 3
‧ Giants 4, Dodgers 3
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