Scherzer's no-hit bid broken up in eighth (Nats win 5-1)

By Byron Kerr

Nationals

September 28, 2015, 12:13pm

Comments

Right-hander Max Scherzer off to a good start against the Reds.

Through four innings he has not allowed a hit. Scherzer has struck out five, with at least one strikeout in every inning but the third. He has walked two batters. Tyler Moore made a diving catch on a liner off the bat of Reds left fielder Skip Schumaker in the third.

Reds left-hander Brandon Finnegan did well to keep the Nationals off the board until the fourth. Moore singled with one out. Matt den Dekker then lined a double over right fielder Jay Bruce's head and up against the wall to score Moore from first base and the Nationals led 1-0.

Michael A. Taylor added an RBI single for a 2-0 lead after four innings.

Update: Wilson Ramos crushed a solo shot, his 15th, in the fifth inning for a 3-0 lead. Scherzer has not allowed a hit through five innings.

Update II: den Dekker homered in the sixth to extend the Nationals' lead to 4-0.

Scherzer has allowed no hits through seven innings. He has struck out nine batters and walked three.

Update III: The Reds' Tucker Barnhart slapped a clean single to left field with one out in the eighth, ending Scherzer's bid for a second no-hitter ithis season. Scherzer no-hit the Pirates in a 6-0 victory on June 20. Schumaker added a run-scoring single one batter later and the Nationals led 4-1.

Update IV: The Nationals added to their lead with RBI sacrifice fly from Reed Johnson that scored den Dekker in the eighth, making it 5-1. den Dekker had two doubles and a homer with two runs and two RBIs.

Matt Thornton pitched a scoreless ninth, finsihing off a 5-1 Nationals win.