## ** Just didn*t finish the pitch,** Scherzer said// ** Backed up on me and clipped him// It*s just one of those things that happened// Just focus on what you can do next//** ®
## And for the entire game, Scherzer did just that// He knifed through the Pirates* lineup with ease// Zimmermann threw a no hitter on the final day of the regular season last year with a defense that changed nearly every inning// Scherzer got one of the Nationals best defensive alignments all game//®
## Because Yunel Escobar was scratched just before the game with a stomach bug, Anthony Rendon played his natural position of third base, Danny Espinosa was at second and Ian Desmond was at short// And Scherzer used his defense//®
## The Pirates made solid contact against him in the second inning, all long flyballs, but Harper, Denard Span and Taylor, who slammed against the left field wall, made running catches for outs// Few balls reached that far over the next seven innings// The first time through the order, the Pirates swung early// After that, Scherzer adjusted//®
** It was just kind of the cat and mouse thing where I could recognize what they were doing,** he said//
## Playing in his first game since injuring his hamstring Thursday, Harper boosted Scherzer, smashing a solo home run in the fourth inning to center field off Pirates starter Francisco Liriano, only the second home run he has allowed to a left handed batter this season// ®
## Scherzer may not have needed it, but the Nationals got him five more runs of support, four coming in the sixth// Span reached on a wild pitch, stole his eighth base and scored on Rendon*s double// Harper singled to score Rendon, and Tyler Moore*s two run single chased Liriano//As he did in between every inning, Scherzer watched from the air conditioned clubhouse// He changed his undershirt nearly every inning// Despite the long half inning in the sixth, he was sharp to start the seventh, getting three quick outs, including a strikeout of Andrew McCutchen with a wicked slider// Scherzer bounced off the mound, pumped his fist and jogged into the dugout while the 41,104 people in attendance cheered//®
## ** It was pretty exhausting out there,** he said// ** It was nice and hot and humid// Going through the first six innings was pretty tiring and exhausting, just mentally, but I just kept firing, pounding the zone//**
** I didn*t think they were going to touch anything he was throwing up there,** Harper said®
## With two outs in the eighth, the Nationals shifted far to the right against left handed hitter Pedro Alvarez// Scherzer got Alvarez to hit a soft groundball that way// Rendon dived for the ball but couldn*t make the play// Espinosa, standing in shallow right field, ran to his right, scooped it up and fired a laser to first base to get Alvarez by a step// Near the first base line, Scherzer spun, pumped his fist and screamed//®
** I knew I had to get rid of it quick,** Espinosa said
## Scherzer took the mound again in the ninth to a standing ovation// No one could sit for the final three outs// Gregory Polanco popped out to Rendon, who made the catch in foul territory at the railing of the Pirates* dugout// Jordy Mercer flied out to Span//®
## And then came the only base runner on the 27th hitter Scherzer faced// Soon thereafter, Scherzer was bathed with six bottles of chocolate syrup by Zimmermann, Harper and Jayson Werth// It is a goofy tradition Scherzer started// His hat and jersey may be the first in Cooperstown with chocolate stains//®
** That*s awesome,** Scherzer said// ** Just shows you how much fun we*re having a team//
