John Matthews
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) For a while there Monday night, it felt like Max Scherzer was going to make history yet again.
The Washington Nationals’ ace brought his A game to Nationals Park against the best team in baseball, striking out nine of the first 10 batters he faced en route to a 4 – 1 dismantling of the Chicago Cubs.
For the first four innings, Scherzer (8-4) looked to be determined to challenge his record-tying 20-strikeout performance of May 11th, when he destroyed the Tigers. Even after his torrid strikeout pace had cooled, Scherzer was still getting batters out. The first 16 Cubs failed to reach base before Addison Russell sent a Scherzer slider into the left field stands with one out in the sixth inning to spoil Scherzer’s bid for his third career no-hitter.
Scherzer’s momentary slip did not cost him the game, as the Nats’ suddenly hot bats came to life in the bottom half of the frame.
Wilson Ramos’ solo homer led the way in a three-run sixth to give the Nats a 4-1 lead, and Scherzer gave up just one more hit in the seventh before he pulled for a pinch hitter with the bases loaded.
On the night, Scherzer finished with one run on two hits, no walks and 11 strikeouts in seven innings of work – a sharp contrast to his previous appearance against Chicago on May 6th, when he gave up four home runs en route to an 8-6 loss at Wrigley Field.
“I remember that,” said Scherzer Monday night. “They beat my brains in last time, and I wanted to come out there and take my shot at them.”
Cubs manager Joe Maddon tipped his hat to the Nationals’ ace when he was asked what he was thinking as Scherzer struck out the side twice in the first three innings.
“That he may strike out 20,” Maddon replied. “He had such good stuff and he was throwing it exactly where he wanted.”
Scherzer’s hot night made him the 26th pitcher in baseball history to have at least 40 games with at least 10 strikeouts.
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