For Max Scherzer, it's been a hard knock life

FLUSHING, N.Y. - When Max Scherzer was introduced to the media at Nationals Park in January, he was asked why - beyond the astronomical $210 million contract he was offered - he chose to sign with the Nationals.

"It's pretty easy," Scherzer said. "And it's one (reason): winning. I think this team is capable of winning, and winning a lot."

That hasn't happened yet for Scherzer or the Nationals. After falling to the Mets and stud pitcher Matt Harvey last night, the Nationals' record dropped to 10-14, while Scherzer sits at an unfathomable 1-3.

Scherzer came out hot last night holding the Mets hitless through the first 3 1/3 innings until the slightest mistake on a fastball to left fielder Michael Cuddyer ended up over the wall in right-center field.

"I'm not gonna beat myself over that pitch, but I left it over the middle and he put a good swing on it and was able to do damage on it," Scherzer said.

Cuddyer was the only Met to cross the plate against Scherzer, who has yet to allow more than two earned runs in a game this season. He really pitched a gem, striking out 10 Mets on the night, but his teammates couldn't sniff a run against Harvey. In fact, a Nats base runner never even reached third base all evening.

"Definitely a game you want to be in," second baseman Dan Uggla said. "Two guys like that going at it. I mean, what else can you say? Both of them battling all night and they were able to get one across and we weren't."

That was Uggla after last night's loss, but you could have heard a similar response in the Nats clubhouse after any of Scherzer's failed outings. In Scherzer's three losses and one no-decision, the Nats have scored a grand total of six runs. If you add in the seven runs the Nats gave Scherzer in his only victory, the tally only reaches 13.

"I thought I did some things well on the mound tonight," Scherzer said. "It was just a tough luck loss."

Tough luck? That's an understatement.

Take Harvey, for example. He leads the majors in wins having picked up a victory in all five of his starts this year. There's no question he has been lights-out with 34 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings, but the Mets have scored 31 runs for him.

Scherzer might give back some of his fortune for 31 runs. He leads the National League with a 1.26 ERA and his 39 strikeouts rank third. But you'll get a blister on your thumb scrolling down to where he stands in the win column.

"I don't know if you sympathize," Uggla said. "He's the last person that would ever want anyone to feel sorry for him at all. He's about the team. He's about winning and getting things going not just about his personal stats. He's out there fighting and we're out there fighting.

"We understand that he's pitched his (expletive) off this year. It just so happens we haven't given him much run support. But that's the way the game goes sometimes and it's not gonna be like that all year and he knows that. We know that."