Scherzer tops Arrieta as Nats run their way to 6-1 win over Cubs

The latest marquee pitching showdown of the season saw the Nationals' Cy Young Award winner show up with an awfully effective performance. The Cubs' Cy Young? He looked awfully pedestrian.

Max Scherzer tossed six innings of one-run ball, retired the last 10 batters he faced and also contributed to the Nationals' offensive onslaught against Jake Arrieta, who was knocked out before recording an out in the fifth inning during the Nats' 6-1 victory.

Scherzer's streak of double-digit strikeout games came to an end at six, but that in no way diminished another exceptional performance by the 2016 National League Cy Young Award winner. After allowing a quick run in the top of the first on Kris Bryant's triple, he proceeded to retire 16-of-17 Chicago batters.

Only three total Cubs reached base against Scherzer (two via base hit, one via hit batter). The right-hander's pitch count was a bit higher than preferred, but he didn't issue any walks and struck out six, hardly breaking a sweat on an unseasonably cool and windy late-June evening in the District.

Six days removed from his 121-pitch start in Miami, in which he lost a no-hit bid in the eighth inning, Scherzer was pulled after a modest 93 pitches in this one, with manager Dusty Baker not wanting to push his ace any farther.

In the process, Scherzer lowered his league-best ERA to 2.06, his record improved to 9-5 as he makes a bid to earn the starting nod for the NL in the All-Star Game, which will be played two weeks from tonight in Miami.

A quartet of Nationals relievers - Enny Romero, Blake Treinen, Oliver Pérez, Matt Albers - combined to close out Scherzer's win and even up this series of NL contenders, with two more to play this week.

This was billed as a marquee matchup of elite starters, but only Scherzer lived up to the billing. Arrieta is only 1 1/2 years removed from his own Cy Young Award, but he bears little resemblance to that ace right now. In surrendering six runs (five earned) in only four innings tonight, he saw his ERA jump to 4.67.

The Nationals beat Arrieta not with their customary display of power, but with the continuous pressure of small ball. Their offensive output against the right-hander included six singles, six walks and seven stolen bases.

Four of those steals came from Trea Turner, who did all that damage in three innings and matched his recently established club record in the process.

Michael A. Taylor also chimed in by stealing both second and third bases (and scoring on a throwing error) in the fourth, then driving in two more runs with a double off the right-center wall in the fifth.

Even Scherzer got into the act at the plate, with a pair of singles to match the hit total he allowed while on the mound tonight.