Scherzer pitches around two mistakes to notch 7-5 win over Marlins

Coming into Wednesday afternoon's game, Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer had allowed two or fewer earned runs in all three of his losses this season. So, of course, on the day he gave up five runs, Bryce Harper delivered three home runs as the offense erupted to earn him a 7-5 win.

The Nationals have now won three series in a row. Since starting the season 7-13, they have won seven of their last nine games.

Scherzer had allowed five total earned runs in his first five starts, going 1-3. On Wednesday, he gave up five earned runs but beat the Marlins for his second win of the season.

"I had great stuff today," Scherzer said. "Willy (Ramos) and I, we were on a really good run right there and I thought we're really getting on the same page of what to throw and what different situations. Really, thought I only made two mistakes today. One to Ichiro (Suzuki) there in the second inning when he was able to get a single there, and obviously the last one to (Giancarlo) Stanton."

Scherzer appeared to be cruising until Stanton connected for a three-run shot that turned a 7-2 lead into a 7-5 game in the eighth inning. Unfortunately, Scherzer hung a slider on a full count and Stanton didn't miss.

"I was trying to break that slider into the zone and where I started, I just needed to finish it and I didn't finish it," Scherzer said. "It hung right there so he could hit it a country mile. It's just something you live and learn and you get better at even when you don't have success. You go into next time realizing what you have to do to execute that pitch in a that situation."

Manager Matt Williams was impressed with Scherzer's outing despite the late mistake.

"I thought his fastball was good, 96 mph when he needed it," Williams said. "In the last inning, he hung a slider to Giancarlo, but he pitched well. We were able to get him some support today, too, which was good."

"I really thought everything was on today," Scherzer said. "I really felt like I had command of all the pitches. I was really attacking the zone. I was able to locate the fastball to both side and so I can mix and match. That's when I have success. I feel like that is product of why I had so much success there through the first seven innings."

Scherzer showed pinpoint control for the entire outing. He struck out 10 hitters, but did not walk a batter. He now has only five walks in six starts and only one free pass surrendered for four starts in a row.

"I'm really happy with that," Scherzer said. "That's one of the first things you look at as a pitcher is how many walks you give up. When you have an outing where you don't give up any walks in seven innings, that's always going to put a smile on your face because you know you are going after them and you're not going to give in in any situation. That's something you take forward and you keep moving forward with it."

Scherzer was confident in the pregame warmups that he could provide the outing a team with a weary bullpen needed to get to the Thursday off-day.

"Coming in to today, my arm felt good and strong," Scherzer said. "If it was going to need 125 pitches, I was going to be able to give it to the team today."

"I know that he was good to 115 (pitches) and we've got some heavy arms down there," Williams said. "With that kind of lead, we let him go until the homer. But he threw the ball good."