Nationals Scherzer K’s 11, Defeats Diamondbacks 3-1

Nationals Scherzer K’s 11, Defeats Diamondbacks 3-1

Article by Jeff Demers | May 11th, 2018 | Heroes Media Group

PHOENIX- The Washington Nationals got the scoring going immediately as Turner would lead off with a home run just over the wall in Left Field.  The shot was Trea Turners 4th home run of the year, and his 7th lead-off home run of his career.  Bryce Harper would follow that shot up with a blast off the Center Field wall for a double.  Koch would get the next 3 Nationals batters on a pair of fly-outs and a ground out to second base.

The Diamondbacks would strand a total of three runners in scoring position in both the 1st and 2nd Inning.  Both times with one out or less.  But they would put their first run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the 3rd Inning when David Peralta hit a home run into the Right Field bleachers to tie up the game at 1-1.  The Nationals would get their lead back in the top of the 4th Inning after Max Scherzer hit a Ground Rule double to Right Center Field, just out of the reach of Peralta, scoring Stevenson, and making the score 2-1.

In the top of the 8th, Anthony Rendon would extend the Nationals lead with a home run to Center Field.  The very next batter, Adams, would get robbed of what would have been back-to-back home runs by Owens in Right Field.

The Diamondbacks would only manage one hit from the 4th Inning through the end of the game (Goldschmidt single in the 9th).  Scherzer, for the Nationals, would pitch 7 Innings, strike out 11 batters, and only allow four hits.

The final score for the night would be the Nationals, 3, and the Diamondbacks, 1.  The loss goes to Koch, his first on the season.  Koch did have a decent game, only allowing 3 runs on 8 hits, and striking out 3.

The Nationals have taken the first two games of this series, with two remaining.  If the Diamondbacks can win the last two, they will still have not lost a series yet this season.