Scherzer gives up four runs but racks up pitches (Nats lose 4-3)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - If the Nationals needed somebody to step up and rustle them out of their late-spring slumber, who better than Max Scherzer to lead the way?

Five days after a shaky outing against the Marlins in which he served up three homers, Scherzer is mowing down the same Miami lineup in his final tune-up before opening day.

Scherzer is through four scoreless innings having allowed only one hit while striking out six. And he has managed to keep his pitch count to a minimum, throwing only 40 so far. (For comparison's sake, last night in split-squad games Jeremy Hellickson threw 69 pitches and A.J. Cole threw 89 pitches, each in four innings.)

It has been a much-needed jolt of life to a Nationals rotation that slogged its way through the last week, with the Dog Days of March having arrived and opening day still too far away to feel close. But with only two games left on the Grapefruit League schedule, and with no more opportunities to prepare for Thursday's season opener in Cincinnati, Scherzer has stepped up his game today.

Scherzer's teammates have supplied him with a 1-0 lead, with some significant help from the Marlins' porous defense. During a six-batter stretch between the bottom of the first and the bottom of the second, Miami fielders committed three errors, one of which allowed a run to score.

Matt Adams and Wilmer Difo each singled as part of that rally. Adam Eaton just missed a grand slam, leaving his drive to right-center about a foot short. Eaton also made his most athletic defensive play of the spring, chasing down a foul ball near the tarp in shallow left field, leaping into a fence and a ball boy to make the catch.

Bryce Harper, meanwhile, has shown some extra adrenaline so far today. Harper hustled to stretch Cameron Maybin's dropped line drive in right field into a two-base error. He then was thrown out trying to steal third. And two innings later, he was thrown out by Maybin trying to go first-to-third.

Update: Well, so much for Scherzer cruising through this one. After a dominant four innings to get today started, he ran into trouble in the fifth and sixth, giving up six hits including a two-run homer by Yadiel Rivera. To his credit, Scherzer did come back out for the seventh and retired the side, building up his pitch count to 93. So his spring is now complete after giving up four runs and eight hits (but striking out nine) in seven innings. Next up: opening day in Cincinnati.

Update II: The Nats haven't given up on this one yet. Either that, or the Marlins defense is determined to get them back in it. They committed two more errors in the bottom of the seventh, giving them six on the day. Yes, six. It's now a 4-3 lead for Miami heading to the eighth.

Update III: That's how this one will end. Final: Marlins 4, Nationals 3.