Max Scherzer tagged for three homers, Nats lose 7-5

PITTSBURGH - After being on the wrong side of Max Scherzer's first career no-hitter on June 20, the Pirates appear to be taking a far more aggressive approach against the Nationals ace tonight.

Jung Ho Kang took care of the Pittsburgh's first hit with a one-out single in the second. Pedro Alvarez followed with a moonshot, pulverizing a Scherzer fastball over the stands in right. The two run-homer, which one-hopped in the Allegheny River, was estimated at 460 feet.

Scherzer has allowed two runs on three hits with six strikeouts through three innings.

The Nationals are hitless against Pirates starter Jeff Locke, who has five strikeouts.

Update: Locke ran into control issues in the fourth when he issued one-out walks to Danny Espinosa and Bryce Harper. Wilson Ramos took advantage, drilling a fastball up the middle for an RBI single. Another walk to Ian Desmond loaded the bases for Tyler Moore.

Locke had Moore down 0-2 but hung a curveball and Moore smacked it to left-center, scoring Harper and Ramos on the double.

Dan Uggla followed with a blooper to short right, which second baseman Neil Walker couldn't secure, allowing Desmond to race home on the RBI single.

Update II: The Pirates battled Scherzer from the start of the fifth. Pinch-hitter Jaff Decker drew an eight-pitch walk to lead off the frame. Then, Gregory Polanco went back and forth with Scherzer before nailing the 12th pitch of the at-bat over the wall for a game-tying two-run homer.

Neil Walker followed with a solo homer to right-center to give the Pirates the lead.

It's the first time Scherzer has surrendered three home runs in a game since Sept. 15, 2011.

Scherzer ended up running his pitch total to 98 after throwing 36 in the fifth. That was the end of his evening after tying his season-high for runs allowed with five. He yielded seven hits with one walk and eight strikeouts.

Desmond answered with his 10th homer of the year on a solo shot to deep left-center in the sixth.

But, the Pirates stormed back on a two-out pinch-hit RBI double from Brent Morel and a run-scoring single from Polanco off left-hander Sammy Solis.

Update III: The Pirates beat the Nationals 7-5. The Mets lost to the Dodgers so the Nats still hold a three-game lead in the National League East.