WASHINGTON – Max Scherzer struck out nine in six innings to move up to No. 21 on the career Ks leaderboard, and Alex Avila drove in the game's lone run with one of his two doubles, helping the Washington Nationals edge the St.
Louis Cardinals 1-0 on a windy Wednesday. Scherzer (1-1) retired 12 of his last 13 batters, working in short sleeves as gusts of air topping 30 mph rippled his white jersey and sent napkins and other debris twirling around Nationals Park on a 50-degree late afternoon.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner struck out Dylan Carlson swinging through a 93 mph fastball with his 109th and final pitch.
The righty's strikeout of Justin Williams to end the fourth gave Scherzer 2,814 for his career, moving him one ahead of Hall