Pillar on homers off of Scherzer, Lobaton on the double steal

Nationals ace Max Scherzer gave up two homers in a game for the first time this season in Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Blue Jays, a 7-3 loss. Scherzer last allowed more than one homer in a game on Aug. 30 of last season at the White Sox.

Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar hit both of the round trippers, a solo shot in the second that made it 1-0 Toronto and a game-changing three-run homer in the sixth that gave them a 4-3 lead.

Pillar said it was the first time in his career he had hit two homers in the same game. He now has nine homers in his career.

"I was telling guys I've never hit two homers at any level, never in Little League, college, high school, any level," Pillar said. "That was the first time I hit two home runs in a game and to do it off a guy like Max Scherzer. It was definitely a real special day for me and a day I'll never forget.

"Just being able to contribute and drive in runs and give us the lead, it's a great start to the month."

Scherzer said his slider did not go where he wanted it to go. He had decided to go with the pitch three times in a row to try to mix things up. He left it up and Pillar took advantage of the pitch. Scherzer said it wasn't pitch selection, but pitch execution.

Pillar went through the critical at-bat and what he saw leading up to the homer in the sixth that altered the game.

"The second one was a hanging slider," Pillar said. "He threw me a first-pitch slider that was kind of a hanging slider but in off the plate. He threw me a good one. I felt like I had seen his best slider. I swung through it. A guy like that, you have to respect his fastball so I immediately get back to the fastball and he hung it. I hung in there thinking about going to the middle of the field and I was able to get it out."

Pillar said the homers meant a lot because they helped the Blue Jays win the game, but also because of the caliber of pitcher he was able to beat in the former Cy Young winner.

"Definitely, he's Max Scherzer," Pillar said. "There's a reason he's one of the best in the game. He's got unbelievable stuff. I think, as a hitter, you want to rise to the occasion when you face guys like that. Part of you is upset when you see you got to face him and the other part of you wants to rise to the occasion and face him. The best.

"Guys like him, guys like Felix (Hernandez), you just try to elevate your game. They are at-bats you are going to remember. Just incredible feeling to be able to do that off him."

The Blue Jays scored six runs combined in the sixth and seventh innings to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 7-3 lead and an eventual win.

A critical play came in the seventh when with men on first and third, Toronto pulled off a double steal for its final run of the game. The Nationals had just made a pitching change to go to left-hander Felipe Rivero. Many times, teams will attempt steals when a new pitcher arrives, banking on the fact that a reliever is so focused on the hitter.

Chris Colabello stole second because the throw from catcher Jose Lobaton was too high. Russell Martin then scurried home from third base to make it 7-3.

It was a play that the Oakland A's used to use with Rickey Henderson, Willie McGee and Harold Baines. Bait the catcher by charging for second on the steal. That allows the runner from third to break for home. But Lobaton said that wasn't the exact timing of this play. It really came down to the throw to second being too high and that allowed Martin the chance to run home.

"I got a sign to throw to second," Lobaton said. "It was a pretty bad throw. We know that we got a chance to throw the guy out. What can I say, I got a bad throw and everyone score. If make a good throw we got a chance to throw the guy out and it's over."

Lobaton said he was concentrating on getting Colabello out at second on the throw, and not pump-faking and waiting for Martin at home plate.

"Not really, because it's kind of the sign where the guy is, we just throw to second," Lobaton said. "I feel when I saw the runner breaking to second, I thought I had a chance to throw the guy out. Then when I release the throw I was like, 'Oh, my god'. I think that was a pretty good job of (shortstop Ian) Desmond, jumping and catching that ball. That's the risk that we take when we have that situation. Hopefully, next time I can throw the guy out."