Scherzer helps his own cause (Nats win 4-2, Harper exits early)

For the second game in a row, the Nationals starting pitcher again helps his own cause to get his club on the board.

On Wednesday night in the third and his team down 1-0, Gio Gonzalez fought hard to make contact with one out and Michael A. Taylor on third base. His grounder to shortstop scored Taylor to tie the game at 1-1. The Nationals went on to win 2-1.

Thursday afternoon with two outs and the bases loaded in the second frame, Max Scherzer sent a dribbler on the infield grass toward third base. Arizona's Braden Shipley couldn't handle it and Scherzer beat the throw for the RBI single. Ryan Zimmerman scored from third.

The Diamondbacks have been held hitless by Scherzer through three innings.

The Nationals lead 1-0 heading to the bottom of the third.

Update: Shipley struggled to find the plate in the bottom of the third, issuing four walks. With the bases loaded, Anthony Rendon crushed a two-run double off the left field wall that scored two. Later, Jose Lobaton grounded into a double play at second base to end what might have been a huge rally.

After three innings, the Nationals lead 3-0.

Update II: Scherzer being Scherzer. The Diamondbacks have one base hit: a single from Chris Owings to begin the fourth. But now Arizona has not had a baserunner since a walk to Jake Lamb in the fourth. In the bottom of the sixth, the Nationals lead the Diamondbacks 3-0.

Update III: Lamb has done a nice job reading Scherzer today. He walked his first two at-bats. Then in the seventh, he led off with a solo homer, his seventh home run of the season. In the middle of the seventh, the Nationals lead Arizona 3-1.

Chris Heisey replaced right fielder Bryce Harper in the seventh. We'll check to see Harper's status after the game. He had to make a diving catch in the third and struck out swinging in his last at-bat, going 0-for-3.

Update IV: Scherzer finishes seven innings, allowing one run on two hits with two walks and a season-high 11 strikeouts. He tossed 107 pitches, 72 for strikes. Matt Albers pitched a scoreless eighth.

Update V: Joe Blanton allowed a solo homer in the ninth to Paul Goldschmidt and was quickly lifted. Enny Romero struck out two batters, allowing one hit while finishing the game to earn his first save.

Final score: Nationals 4, Diamondbacks 2. The Nats are 19-9. Concern now turns to the status of Harper.