MIAMI (AP) — Max Scherzer allowed one run in six innings and passed two umpire inspections without a fuss, helping the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 5-1 on Sunday to earn a split of their four-game series.
Trea Turner and Josh Bell each hit a two-run homer in the sixth against Sandy Alcantara to break the game open.
Scherzer (7-4) struck out seven and lowered his ERA to 2.14. The three-time Cy Young Award winner, who has been animated in his unhappiness about baseball’s recent crackdown on sticky substances, underwent two brief checks at the end of innings with no complaint.
Scherzer has more wins versus the Marlins than against any other team, with a 15-5 record in 26 starts, including 2-0 in two starts this year.
The score was 1-all in the sixth when Alcantara (4-7) unraveled. He walked Kyle Schwarber on four pitches to lead off, and Turner hit his 12th homer. Juan Soto reached on an infield hit, and Bell hit his 11th homer.
Alcantara allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings. It was the first time since last Aug. 30 that he gave up more than one homer in a game.
The Nationals scored an unearned run in the first. Schwarber reached when his grounder was mishandled by third baseman Jon Berti, and he later came home on a two-out single by Josh Harrison.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. led off the Marlins’ first with a triple for the second game in a row, and he celebrated his slide into third with outstretched arms, a gesture of “ta-da” to the crowd. He came home on Jesús Aguilar’s double, but Miami managed only four hits the rest of the way.
The Marlins went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position. Washington won with six hits.
COOLING OFF
Schwarber went without a hit for the second game in a row, dropping his average to .246. He has 13 homers in his past 16 games.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: CF Victor Robles bruised his right knee when hit by a pitch in the seventh and limped off the field. X-rays were negative, and his status is day to day. … RHP Stephen Strasburg (neck strain) is progressing in his rehabilitation and was scheduled to throw 25 pitches in a bullpen session Sunday.
UP NEXT
Nationals: They open a seven-game homestand Monday night with a game against the New York Mets, a makeup resulting from an April 3 postponement. RHP Erick Fedde will miss his turn because of a mild oblique strain, and the Nationals have not announced a starter.
Marlins: They open a three-game series at Philadelphia on Tuesday. No starter has been announced.
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