Despite high pitch count in short start, Scherzer savors battle (Nats win 4-2)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP

Score: Nationals 4, Astros 2

Recap: Max Scherzer struggled through two innings - throwing 37 pitches in the first inning alone, 13 in one at-bat against A.J. Reed - but allowed only one run on three hits in his second spring start. Yusmeiro Petit tossed three scoreless innings of relief, striking out four. Jose Lobaton drove in the first two Nationals runs. The others scored on Logan Schafer's RBI single and a run-scoring double by Scott Sizemore. Left fielder Tony Campaga made a diving catch in the eighth and turned it into an inning-ending double play, then reached into the stands in left to corral a foul pop in the ninth. Washington improved to 6-1.

Need to know: Former Nationals starter Doug Fister, taking the turn for the Astros, looked like a hockey goalie making kick saves. He had to deal with three comebackers that struck him, two by Michael A. Taylor, and deflected two of the three hot shots into groundouts, picking up an assist in each instance.

On deck: Wednesday, vs. Tigers at Lakeland, 1:05 p.m.
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KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Appearances can be deceiving, especially in spring training when windy conditions can inflate a line score and the quality of opposing hitters is sometimes suspect.

A cursory look at the numbers makes it look like Nationals ace Max Scherzer slogged through two innings against the Astros on Tuesday, throwing so many pitches that he couldn't go out for the third inning.

But Scherzer tells a different tale, savoring the battle for what it was: a test that gets him closer to being ready for the regular season.

"Obviously, it's not as efficient as I'd like," said Scherzer, who threw 51 pitches, 31 for strikes. "It was a high pitch count situation. You have guys that are battling and you have to execute pitches. ... You might not like the results as much today, but at the same time, this start prepared me as well as anything for the season"

The first inning seemed like it took forever, with Scherzer facing seven hitters and throwing 37 pitches, most of them off-speed offerings. In a single at-bat - against Astros first base power prospect A.J. Reed - it took 13 pitches for Scherzer to prevail, finally getting Reed to ground sharply to third, a bouncer that Jason Martinson turned into a forceout at home.

"Even in spring training, you're competing," Scherzer said. "There was times I was trying to bust him in. Throw a heater up and away and try to get it past him and he was able to just foul it off. He was just fouling off all the pitches I was throwing. It was a great battle. Thirteen pitch at-bat? That's great for the experience in spring. ... That's fun. That's what this game's about."

Reed came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out, the Astros already ahead 1-0 on Colby Rasmus' RBI single. After the prolonged Scherzer-Reed encounter was settled, the right-hander still had to retire slugger Jon Singleton. One pitch after Singleton crushed a long ball foul to right field, Scherzer got him swinging for the third out.

Scherzer chuckled when he was asked if he now had a book on the rookie Reed.

"If I face him again, we're going to have some fun," he said. "He got to face everything. I would enjoy facing him again."

It isn't often that a pitcher sounds pleased after laboring through two innings. Scherzer allowed a run on three hits, walked one and struck out two in his second Grapefruit League start before Yusmeiro Petit took over.

"It was a battle and that's what's good, especially this time of year to get ready for the season," Scherzer said. "You need these type of starts. If everything's rosy and 1-2-3, 1-2-3, you're not ready for the season. You're not ready to pitch in a jam. If you're able to get one of these, it's good."