Nationals 5, Marlins 0
MIAMI -- Max Scherzer tossed eight scoreless innings and Matt den Dekker homered after he replaced injured Nationals star Bryce Harper to help Washington to a 5-0 win over the Miami Marlins.
Scherzer (12-11) entered the game 0-3 with a 6.08 ERA in his last seven starts, but was in complete control against the Marlins. He allowed five hits and struck out six in his 102-pitch outing. It was his first victory since July 30, also at Miami.
Anthony Rendon had three hits and drove in a run while Jayson Werth, Ian Desmond, and Wilson Ramos also had RBIs to help the Nationals end a five-game losing streak.
Harper left the game in the first inning after colliding with Marlins second baseman Derek Dietrich when trying to run to third on a ground ball hit by Werth to shortstop Miguel Rojas.
Harper was removed from the game due to precautionary reasons and was replaced in right fielder by den Dekker, who finished 1 for 4 with a solo home run on the day.
The Nationals struck first in the third inning as they took advantage of Brad Hand's inaccuracy. Hand walked three batters in the inning, including Desmond with the bases loaded to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead.
Hand (4-6) was unable to make it through the fourth inning for the second consecutive start. Hand got pulled after issuing an RBI single to Rendon.
Werth also drove in a run in the fourth with a base hit off Jose Urena to extend the Nationals' lead to 3-0.
Hand allowed three runs and five hits in 3 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out one.
Den Dekker homered to right field off Urena in the sixth inning. It was his third home run of the season.
The Marlins had runners in scoring position in the first, third, and eighth, but were unable to get to Scherzer going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
Ramos' groundout in the ninth scored Werth capped the scoring.
NOTES: Marlins RHP Jose Fernandez said he felt good after making his return from the disabled list with a biceps strain that kept him sidelined since Aug. 7. "I feel good, no issues at all today," Fernandez said. "Everything is fine. Just ready to go." ... Marlins LHP Raudel Lazo, a Cuban defector, struck out Nationals OF Bryce Harper, the only batter he faced, in the sixth inning in Saturday's 2-0 win. "I came to America looking for a future and I was thankful to the Marlins for giving me a shot," Lazo said. ... Nationals 3B Yunel Escobar returned to the lineup on Sunday after being scratched shortly before Saturday's game with a stomach virus. ... Nationals 2B Danny Espinosa took a ground ball off his hand on Wednesday, but returned to the lineup Saturday in place of Escobar and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Espinosa was not in the starting lineup Sunday.