MIAMI (AP) — Max Scherzer allowed one unearned run and struck out 11 in eight innings on his 34th birthday, and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 9-1 on Friday night.

Juan Soto homered, tripled and drove in three runs, Matt Adams had three hits and two RBIs and Bryce Harper drove in two for the Nationals, who beat the Marlins for the 16th time in 17 games, including eight straight in Miami.

Scherzer (14-5) allowed three hits and did not walk a batter while throwing 74 of his 106 pitches for strikes. He lowered his ERA to 2.30.

Scherzer struck out the side in both the third and the sixth on his way to his 11th double-digit strikeout game of the season — his first since striking out 10 on June 16 at Toronto.

He reached the 200-strikeout mark for the seventh consecutive season, tying Roger Clemens and Walter Johnson for the second-longest streak in major league history.

Scherzer did not allow a baserunner until the fourth, when he hit Brian Anderson with a pitch, and did not allow a hit until the fifth, when Martin Prado grounded one up the middle with one out.

A day after scoring 10 runs on 13 hits, including nine extra-base hits, the Nationals recorded at least one hit in every inning and finished with 16 hits — five going for extra bases.

Soto’s 13th home run, the second in as many games for the 19-year-old rookie, gave the Nationals a 2-0 lead in the second.

Washington added two more runs in the third on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Harper.

Pablo Lopez (2-2) allowed nine hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings.

The Marlins scored in the seventh after third baseman Mark Reynolds committed two errors on one play, putting Starlin Castro on second. Reynolds could have been charged with another miscue on the next play as Martin Prado’s ground ball got by him, allowing the run to score.

Harper singled through the left side for a 5-1 lead in the eighth. Adams followed by knocking in a run, Soto added a two-run triple and Daniel Murphy had an RBI single.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (neck) received a shot on Thursday and could resume throwing after a three-day rest period depending on how he feels. He is expected to return to the team in Miami on Saturday after being in Los Angeles. “I actually think it’s good news,” manager Dave Martinez said. “We know it’s not his shoulder and we know exactly what it is, so now it’s just getting him better, getting him right. He’s one of the best in baseball and we miss him and we need him. We really do. I want him totally healthy and ready to go.”

UP NEXT

Nationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez (6-7, 3.94 ERA) will start the third game of the series on Saturday night. Gonzalez is 4-2 with a 2.91 ERA in seven starts in his hometown.

Marlins: RHP Trevor Richards (3-5, 4.41) is 2-1 with a 3.16 ERA over his last six starts.

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