Scherzer pitches Nationals past Cubs
WASHINGTON -- Right-hander Max Scherzer took a perfect game into the top of the sixth inning and batterymate Wilson Ramos hit a tie-breaking homer in the last of the sixth as the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 Monday in the opener of a series between first-place teams in the National League.
Scherzer (8-4), who threw two no-hitters last year, gave up one run on two hits in seven innings with 11 strikeouts and no walks. He was lifted for pinch-hitter Chris Heisey, who fanned with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh.
Oliver Perez retired the only batter he faced in the eighth, then Shawn Kelley came on to get the last two outs of the frame. Kelley got all three outs in the ninth.
Ramos hit a solo homer to lead off the sixth -- just out of reach from right fielder Jason Heyward -- to give the Nationals a 2-1 lead off Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks (4-6). Anthony Rendon followed with a double and scored on a single to left by hot-hitting Danny Espinosa, which gave him nine hits in his last 18 at-bats. Ben Revere's single scored Espinosa to build the margin to 4-1.
Addison Russell of the Cubs broke up the perfect game and shutout bid by Scherzer with a solo homer to left in the sixth to tie the game at 1. His fifth homer of the year came on a 3-2 pitch over the middle part of the plate.
It was the 40th time in Scherzer's career he has fanned at least 10 batters in a game. Anthony Rizzo had a double in the seventh off Scherzer to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.
Rendon, Ramos and Revere had two hits for the Nationals. Hendricks gave up four runs (three earned) in 5 1/3 innings before reliever Justin Grimm came on with one out in the sixth.
The Nationals (40-24) have won four in a row and beat the Cubs (43-19) for the first time in five tries in 2016. Chicago is still 21-11 on the road and 12-4 against the National League East.
Scherzer struck out the first four batters and did not allow a hit in the initial five innings. The right-hander from St. Louis struck out nine of the first 10 hitters.
The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the second. Jayson Werth drew a one-out walk, went to third on a single to center by Bryce Harper and then scored as the throw by center fielder Dexter Fowler got past third baseman Kris Bryant for an error.
Harper had walked 13 times (four intentional) in the four-game series at Chicago in May.
Scherzer entered the game having allowed 16 homers this season, although he threw seven scoreless innings in his last start on Wednesday in Chicago against the White Sox. Scherzer surrendered four homers to the Cubs in Chicago on May 6.
He struck out 20 batters at home May 11 against the Detroit Tigers in a season-high 119 pitches, and threw a no-hitter at Nationals Park against Pittsburgh on June 20, 2015. His other no-hitter came at New York against the Mets last October.
Hendricks gave an intentional walk to Daniel Murphy with runners on first and second to load the bases in the fifth. That brought up Ryan Zimmerman, who struck out to end the inning.
NOTES: Washington LHP Gio Gonzalez (3-5, 3.93 ERA) will face Chicago RHP John Lackey (7-2, 2.63 ERA) on Tuesday in the second game of the series. ... Washington 2B Daniel Murphy began play Monday as the National League leader in batting average (.369) and multi-hit games (28). He also leads the majors in average. ... Nationals GM Mike Rizzo is a native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Illinois. ... The Cubs swept a four-game series from the Nationals May 5-8 in Chicago, winning the finale 4-3 in 13 innings. ... Washington RHP Max Scherzer, the Monday starter, gave up four homers to the Cubs on May 6 in an 8-6 loss. ... The Cubs began Monday with a MLB-best record of 43-18, with 14 wins in their last 18 games.