MIAMI (AP) — Max Scherzer pitched 6 2-3 innings to tie for the National League victory lead with 18, helping the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 8-3 on Wednesday night.
Scherzer (18-7) allowed three runs and struck out eight to push his major league-leading total to 267. He’s tied for with Chicago’s Jon Lester for the most wins in the NL.
Ryan Zimmerman hit a three-run homer and Trea Turner also homered for the Nationals. They ended a four-game losing streak and lowered their magic number to three to win the NL East over the New York Mets.
Tom Koehler (9-12) allowed four runs — three earned — in four innings for the Marlins. They had won three in a row.
Christian Yelich hit a solo home run and Derek Dietrich hit a two-run homer to chase Scherzer in the seventh and cut it to 6-3.
Prior to the home runs allowed by Yelich and Dietrich, Scherzer had only allowed two hits.
Wilson Ramos had an RBI double and scored on a sacrifice fly in the eighth to extend the Nationals’ lead to 8-3.
Washington scored its first run when Koehler’s pick-off throw to second went into centerfield and Yelich was unable to field it cleanly allowing Danny Espinosa to score.
Zimmerman’s three-run homer, his 15th, to left field gave the Nationals a 4-0 lead in the fourth.
Jayson Werth had an RBI single and Turner hit his 12th home run for a 6-0 advantage.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: RF Giancarlo Stanton was held out of the starting lineup after starting and homering in the last two games. “Medical says he felt he needed a day so we gave a day,” manager Don Mattingly said. … LHP Adam Conley (finger) pitched a three-inning simulation game Wednesday with hopes of returning to the team before the season ends.
UP NEXT
Nationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez (11-10, 4.48) will take the mound on Friday in Pittsburgh against RHP Jameson Tailon (4-4, 3.39) to begin a three-game series against the Pirates in the final road trip of the season. Gonzalez has allowed six runs in two of his last three starts.
Marlins: RHP Jose Urena (4-7, 5.59) will start Thursday’s game against Atlanta RHP Josh Collmenter (2-0, 4.61). Urena allowed seven runs in two innings in his last start at Philadelphia.
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