Bryce Harper not in Nats lineup for Max Scherzer's final start

By Josh Land

Nationals

October 03, 2015, 1:56pm

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FLUSHING, N.Y. - Bryce Harper sits tonight after taking a fastball off his left shin in the sixth inning of this afternoon's 3-1 win over the Mets. Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard ran a 97-mph heater inside which drilled Harper just below his knee.

After the victory, Harper had a large ice pack wrapped around his left leg.

"He's gonna be sore," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "It's right on the shin bone and 97 mph."

Max Scherzer takes the mound in the nightcap for the final time this season. The right-hander is coming off Monday's dominant performance against the Reds when he carried a no-hitter through 7 1/3 innings.

Scherzer's career-high 259 strikeouts are second best in the National League, 35 behind Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.

Wilmer Difo makes his first major league start tonight. The 23-year-old is 1-for-10, appearing in 14 games this season.

For the Nationals:

SS Trea Turner
CF Michael A. Taylor
3B Yunel Escobar
1B Clint Robinson
C Wilson Ramos
RF Matt den Dekker
LF Tyler Moore
2B Wilmer Difo
RHP Max Scherzer

For the Mets:

RF Curtis Granderson
SS Ruben Tejada
LF Michael Conforto
1B Michael Cuddyer
3B Kelly Johnson
CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis
C Kevin Plawecki
2B Dilson Herrera
RHP Matt Harvey