WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- These starts are supposed to be a tuneup for Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer, but the reigning two-time National League Cy Young Award winner was already in dominant form during Tuesday night's 7-4 victory over the Mets.
Scherzer overwhelmed New York's split-squad lineup through five scoreless innings with nine strikeouts, while giving up only one hit. He threw 75 pitches and each seemed sharper and crisper than the last. It was the kind of dominant performance the Nationals have become accustomed to seeing from Scherzer, but the kind rarely seen on March 13.