Scherzer battles command problems early (Nats win 11-10)

Max Scherzer didn't look much like himself in the first inning tonight against the Phillies. Whether it has anything to do with the fact he took a comebacker off his left calf the last time he pitches remains to be learned.

Whatever the case, Scherzer battled through an uncharacteristically ragged top of the first. He issued three walks in the inning, one of them on four pitches, and also served up a three-run homer to Nick Williams that gave Philadelphia an early 3-0 lead.

The Nationals have been chipping away at that lead since and have trimmed the score to 3-2 thanks to RBI singles from Ryan Zimmerman in the bottom of the first and Trea Turner in the bottom of the second. But the story so far tonight has been Scherzer.

The ace right-hander had a scare Saturday night in Milwaukee when he was tagged by Travis Shaw's comebacker in his lower left leg. Though he was able to complete five innings, Scherzer couldn't run on the bad leg and was still limping two days later.

After a couple of successful throwing sessions in Miami earlier this week, though, Scherzer proclaimed himself good to make tonight's start as scheduled. He didn't look entirely like himself, though, in his first inning back on the mound.

Scherzer got Phillies leadoff man Cesar Hernandez to pop up to start the game but then walked Odubel Herrera at the end of an eight-pitch battle, then rookie Rhys Hoskins on four straight pitches. And when Williams crushed an 0-1 fastball to right-center, the Nationals found themselves in a quick 3-0 hole.

Scherzer added another walk, his third of the inning, to Hyun Soo Kim, and needed 28 pitches to complete the frame. He's been better since, surrendering a single apiece in the second and third innings but retiring every other batter.

Update: Well, the storyline of this game just changed a bit with one of the most dramatic plays you can have in baseball: an inside-the-park grand slam. Yes, indeed. The man who did it: Michael A. Taylor. Though he got an awful lot of help from Herrera, who misread the line drive that wound up sailing over his head, setting off a mad scramble around the bases. It's the first inside-the-park grand slam in the majors since - get this - the Phillies' Aaron Altherr did to the Nats on Sept. 25, 2015, on a misplay by ... Michael A. Taylor! And astute fans will remember that exactly two years ago (Sept. 8, 2015) Taylor wound up going all the way around the bases with three teammates in front of him on a similar play that was botched by Yoenis Cespedes, though that was ruled a single and three-base error. It's all coming full circle tonight. The Nats, after being down 3-0 in the first, now lead 7-3 after four.

Update II: The hits keep on coming for the Nats, who now lead 10-4 after six. Turner launched his first homer since returning from the DL, a two-run shot that leaves him a triple shy of the cycle. Zimmerman added another run-scoring single (his 95th RBI) and the Nationals have scored at least 10 runs for the 21st time this season (most in MLB). Scherzer faded a bit in the sixth and allowed his fourth run of the game, but overall he righted his ship after a rusty first inning and is now done after 104 pitches.

Update III: This one isn't over yet. Oliver Pérez served up a three-run homer to Rhys Hoskins (a name you're going to hear a lot for years to come) in the top of the seventh, suddenly making this a 10-7 game. Matt Albers closed out the seventh with no more damage, but now Dusty Baker is going to have to use at least some of his big three out of the bullpen to finish out this game, something he hoped to avoid.

Update IV: Ballgame. Nats win, but it got too close for comfort. Final score: 11-10. They got an insurance run in the eighth on an RBI triple from (who else?) Taylor. And that proved huge, because Shawn Kelley opened the ninth with two singles and a three-run homer to bring the lead down to one run. That forced Sean Doolittle into the game for his fourth appearance in five nights. Doolittle finished it off, earning his 17th save in as many tries since his acquisition. With the win, the Nats have reduced their magic number to three, with the Marlins currently beating the Braves 5-1 in the ninth and thus making a clinch Saturday night unlikely.