Commanding all day, Max Scherzer leads Nats to 5-0 win

The last time right-hander Max Scherzer won was July 30. The Nationals left Miami that afternoon on their way to New York, holding a three-game division lead. The Mets erased the deficit in the ensuing three days and then proceeded to build a commanding 9 1/2-game lead over the next five weeks.

Make no mistake about it, Scherzer's struggles throughout August and into September were near the top of the Nationals' problems.

Trying to prevent a sweep and maybe with some pride on the line, Scherzer returned to the dominant form he displayed in the season's first four months as the Nationals defeated the Marlins 5-0.

Marlins starter Brad Hand walked in Anthony Rendon in the third, for what ended up being all the run support Scherzer needed. The Nats added two more in the fourth on RBI singles from Rendon and Jayson Werth.

Matt den Dekker - playing for Bryce Harper, who was injured on violent collision in the first - bombed a solo homer in the sixth, and Wilson Ramos tacked on an insurance run with an RBI groundout in the ninth that scored Werth.

But this game was all Scherzer, who entered with a disturbing 6.08 ERA over his last seven starts since beating the Marlins at the end of July. Scherzer regained the command of his breaking ball and was placing his fastball throughout the afternoon en route to eight scoreless innings, yielding just five hits with no walks and six strikeouts.

"All of it (was working)," Nationals manager Matt Williams told reporters about Scherzer's gem. "Fastball command to both sides, breaking balls and a couple of good changeups to the lefties. In command."

Scherzer legged out an infield single with one out in the eighth and then sprinted to third on Rendon's third hit of the game. Scherzer went back out for the bottom of the frame, whiffing Dee Gordon for his final strikeout.

Williams ended Scherzer's day after 102 pitches, sending left-hander Felipe Rivero in to finish off the Marlins in the ninth.

Reporters asked Williams after the win if Scherzer wanted to continue in hopes of picking up his fourth complete game of the season.

"He didn't put up much of a fight, but he put up a little one," Williams said. "But he's sweating. He loves to be on the bases, too much sometimes. He pitched really well. He shut them down completely."

Scherzer improved to 7-1 in games in which he pitches at least eight innings this season. Blanking the Marlins over eight frames had to be a confidence booster for Scherzer after allowing 27 runs over his last 40 innings.

"Max is a competitor," Werth said on MASN's "Nats Xtra" postgame. "I would guess - things hadn't been going his way - so he wanted to come out and prove he is who he is. No matter what the situation is, he's full-throttle. So it's good to see him back in form."

Scherzer improved to 12-11 on the season, lowering his ERA to 2.91. He remains second in the National League in strikeouts with 231.

"I don't know if he ever doubts himself," Williams added to reporters.