SAN DIEGO — With a frustrated Max Scherzer reduced to being a spectator, Matt Grace and the rest of the Washington Nationals’ bullpen came up big.
Grace pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings in place of Scherzer, who was scratched from the start and placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career with a sore neck, to lead the Nationals to a 7-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday night.
Grace and five relievers held San Diego to four hits, a huge performance since manager Dusty Baker doesn’t know how long Stephen Strasburg will last on Sunday in his first start in nearly a month.