Scherzer racking up strikeouts again (Nationals win 2-1)

LOS ANGELES - Max Scherzer has something special going on tonight at Dodger Stadium.

No, the Nationals ace isn't working on another no-hitter; he has allowed two clean hits in three innings, not to mention an unearned run.

But through three innings, Scherzer has nine strikeouts. Even though one Los Angeles batter made an out on a ball put into play.

Scherzer struck out three batters a piece in each of his first three innings, but one of them - a called third strike to Cody Bellinger in the bottom of the third - bounced off Matt Wieters' mitt and rolled away. Bellinger wound up reaching first base safely on the passed ball, leaving Scherzer in the unusual position of reaching nine strikeouts in three innings even though he retired Corey Seager on a flyout to center earlier in the third frame.

The only downside to Scherzer's dominance: His pitch count already stands at 53, leaving his odds of pitching deep into this game slim. Nonetheless, he might still wind up approaching his record-tying 20-strikeout game from last season even if he doesn't go the distance.

Scherzer allowed an unearned run in the bottom of the first, the result of a misplay by Daniel Murphy on Seager's hot shot to second base. And the ace has walked two batters and committed his own error on a wayward pickoff throw.

But when he has needed to make pitches, Scherzer has done it, leaving the Dodgers flailing away at most of his offerings.

The Nationals got on the board in the top of the first when Trea Turner beat out a chopper over the mound, stole second and third and then scored on Bryce Harper's sacrifice fly to left.

Update: Scherzer is up to 12 strikeouts in five innings, a remarkable performance so far. But actually he was even more remarkable earlier, with 11 strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings, leaving the ludicrous possibility of a 27-strikeout game still technically in play. That obviously won't happen, but thanks to an eight-pitch bottom of the fifth, Scherzer's pitch count is less concerning than it was earlier. He's at 80 total pitches.

The Nationals, meanwhile, have taken a 2-1 lead thanks to Harper's leadoff double in the top of the fourth and then productive outs by both Ryan Zimmerman and Murphy.

Update II: We're through seven innings now, and Scherzer is done for the evening. His final line: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 14 K, 105 pitches. Not bad. Not bad at all. It'll be up to the bullpen to get the final six outs and preserve a 2-1 lead.

Update III: And that's your ballgame. Nats win 2-1 thanks to Scherzer's 14 strikeouts and then two scoreless innings of relief from Oliver Pérez and Koda Glover. They've taken the first two games of the series, are 7-1 on the road trip and have a chance at a sweep Wednesday afternoon when Stephen Strasburg faces Clayton Kershaw.