Zimmermann good in return to D.C., but not as good as Scherzer

On a night when his former teammate Max Scherzer struck out a career-high and MLB-record-tying 20 batters, right-hander Jordan Zimmermann never backed down from the battle.

In a 3-2 loss to the Nationals, Zimmermann went seven innings and allowed seven hits, three runs and three walks with three strikeouts. It was his second setback after five wins to start the season.

The Nationals touched Zimmermann for three hits and a run in their first at-bat.

"I was able to wiggle out of the first," Zimmermann said. "I was a little amped up and wasn't really making my pitches. Sixth inning came along and I got into another jam. Didn't really have my best stuff but I was able to wiggle out of some stuff.

"Some of these guys have seen me for six or seven years, so they know how I set guys up and know how I pitch. It's a little more difficult to pitch to guys that have been seeing you for awhile."

Zimmermann was welcomed back to Nationals Park with a video tribute Monday, and before he stepped in for his first at-bat Wednesday, he received a standing ovation from the 35,695 fans.

"It means a lot to me, my family and everybody that I played with," Zimmermann said. "It was great. I really didn't know what to expect. I tipped the cap and just want to thank them, too."

He gave up a pair of run-scoring singles to Daniel Murphy. The Nationals tallied their first run in the first frame after a double by Anthony Rendon and a single from Bryce Harper.

Then in the sixth Murphy did it again and the Nationals led 2-1. Danny Espinosa crushed a solo shot to complete the scoring.

"He's tough," Murphy said of Zimmermann. "He's got that good fastball as well, too. He's really mixing his slider well this year. I think that's why the ERA is so good and he's gotten so many guys out. He had that big scoreless streak to start the season. Fortunately, we got traffic on the bases."

Zimmermann admitted that Murphy was doing something during his at-bats that was causing him trouble in communicating with his catcher James McCann.

"It may have looked like me and Mac weren't on the same page, but I called him out a couple of times," Zimmermann said. "Murphy was up there wiggling his bat in front of the signs and I couldn't see, so I kept stepping off.

"I had a long at-bat to Harper there, threw a changeup, which looking back on it was probably not the right pitch. I should've stuck to my guns and kept throwing fastballs. If I'm going to get beat, I want to get beat with my best pitch."

Zimmermann pitched fairly well, but just not quite as good as what Scherzer was able to deliver.

"It was special," Zimmermann said of Scherzer's night. "He's got the arsenal and stuff to go out there and do stuff like that. He had it all working tonight, you know slider, changeup, fastball was 96-97 mph all night. When he's on like that and spotting pitches like that, he's tough to beat."

And Zimmermann knew with Scherzer so good, he had to be just as good.

"Just pitch my game and try to put up zeroes and keep the game close," Zimmermann said. "They got the one run in the first and another one in the sixth. I made one mistake to Espinosa ... which really cost us. I figured it was going to be a low scoring game and Max was pretty tough tonight."