Blue Jays 7, Nationals 3
WASHINGTON -- Kevin Pillar had three hits and a career-high four RBIs, thanks to a pair of home runs off ace Max Scherzer, and starting pitcher Marco Estrada beat his former team as the Toronto Blue Jays blasted the Washington Nationals 7-3 on Tuesday to split a day-night doubleheader.
The Nationals won the first game 2-0 as Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann threw eight strong innings and ignited the winning rally in the fifth inning.
In the nightcap, Pillar, the center fielder, entered the game with two homers in 193 at-bats and a .233 average this year. The Blue Jays took the lead for good at 4-3 in the sixth when he hit a three-run homer off Scherzer (6-4).
Pillar also had a solo homer in the second off Scherzer, who had won his previous five starts. It was the first two-homer contest in the 142-game big league career of Pillar, who made his major league debut with the Blue Jays in 2013.
Toronto added two runs in the seventh off reliever Blake Treinen to make it 6-3. First baseman Chris Colabello, who entered the game hitting .364, had a run-scoring single, left fielder Danny Valencia followed with a sacrifice fly and catcher Russell Martin scored on a double steal.
Estrada (2-3) allowed six hits and three runs (two earned) in six innings and picked up his first win as a starter in six tries with Toronto. Reliever Liam Hendriks took over in the seventh and pitched two scoreless innings. University of Maryland product Brett Cecil pitched the ninth for Toronto.
Scherzer, who gave up two homers for the first time this year, allowed four earned runs in six innings before he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth. It was also a rough night for Washington shortstop Ian Desmond, who struck out in all four trips to the plate.
Right fielder Bryce Harper had two hits for Washington. Toronto third baseman Josh Donaldson added two hits and reached base three times.
The Blue Jays (24-30) won on the road for just the second time in 10 games while Washington (29-23) lost at home for just the second time in 11 contests. The Nationals have lost four of their last five games.
The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead in the second on Pillar's first homer of the game.
Estrada followed with a single -- in his first at-bat of the season -- but Scherzer got shortstop Jose Reyes for the final out of the second.
Scherzer, despite giving up the homer, made his mound counterpart work hard in the last of the third. The Washington pitcher fouled off several pitches before grounding out to second in a 10-pitch at-bat, which drew a standing ovation from some of the home crowd.
The Nationals took the lead with two runs in the fourth. Harper led off with a double to right -- missing his 19th homer by inches -- and then scored on a double by first baseman Tyler Moore. Catcher Jose Lobaton had a two-out single to drive in Moore and make it 2-1.
Washington made it 3-1 in the fifth as Moore had a sacrifice fly to plate Scherzer. The pitcher led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a walk and took third when Harper reached on an error by Estrada to load the bases.
Scherzer required 40 pitches through two innings but then needed just 36 pitches in the next three frames.
NOTES: After the first game Tuesday, the Blue Jays sent C Josh Thole to Triple-A Buffalo and activated C Dioner Navarro, who was sent to Buffalo for a rehab assignment on May 26. Navarro had gone on the disabled list April 23 with a strained left hamstring. ... The Nationals activated OF Matt den Dekker as the 26th man for the second game of the split-doubleheader Tuesday, as per Major League Baseball rules. The former Mets outfielder was hitting .230 in 41 games for Triple-A Syracuse and played in four games with the Nationals earlier this year. ... The Blue Jays activated RHP Scott Copeland from Triple-A as their 26th man for the nightcap of the doubleheader. He pitched in two games earlier this season for the Blue Jays, who signed him in 2012 after he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles two years earlier. ... The Nationals rested regulars Ryan Zimmerman (1B) and Wilson Ramos (C) in the second game of the day. ... Toronto OF Danny Valencia started the second game in left field. He had not played since May 27 against the Chicago White Sox.