Page 21 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Monday 8 april 2019

Scherzer gets 1st win,

Nats beat wild Mets 12-9

By SCOTT ORGERA pitched unbelievable," Na- Rookie Pete Alonso hit a
Associated Press tionals manager Dave Mar- three-run homer against
NEW YORK (AP) — Starting tinez said. Matt Grace later in the
for the third time in his club's Washington opened a 12-1 inning, the rookie's third
first eight games, Wash- lead by the seventh inning, home run this season. He
ington ace Max Scherzer when Rendon hit his fourth is the third player since at
earned his first win in the home run of the season, a least 1908 with nine extra-
least effective outing of the drive off the facing of the base hits in his first nine
three. second deck in left-center. games, joining Trevor Story
Anthony Rendon backed Kurt Suzuki had two hits and and Alvin Davis.
him with a three-run homer, two RBIs. Aside from Scher- ECONOMICAL OFFENSE
going deep for the fourth zer, every Nationals starter The Nationals were the first
time in five games, and the walked at least once. team to score at least 12
Nationals were helped by Zack Wheeler (0-1) strug- runs on eight hits or fewer
12 walks in a 12-9 win over gled to command his fast- since Toronto needed just
the New York Mets on Sun- ball and gave up seven eight hits to beat Detroit
day. runs, four hits and a career- 12-6 on May 24, 1999.
Scherzer (1-2) allowed four high seven walks in 4 2/3 WILD MAN
runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings, throwing strikes on Nationals reliever Trevor
innings with seven strike- just 51 of 103 pitches. Rosenthal hit a batter,
outs, no walks and two hit "Just an embarrassing day threw two wild pitches and
batters, and he also singled for me," Wheeler said. issued a walk in the eighth.
in the game's first run. He Reliever Tim Peterson threw Attempting to come back
lost his opening two starts a run-scoring wild pitch to from Tommy John surgery,
for the first time in his big his first batter and walked the former All-Star closer
league career, to the Mets five, including one with the has not retired any of the
and Philadelphia, though bases loaded. Mets pitch- nine batters he's faced Washington Nationals' Max Scherzer (31) delivers a pitch during
he did go 0-3 over his first six ers had not walked 12 in this season, allowing seven the second inning of a baseball game against the New York
starts in 2009. a nine-inning game since runs. Mets Sunday, April 7, 2019, in New York.
Despite being struck on March 31, 2003, on open- "I've been super encour- Associated Press
the right leg by a hard-hit ing day against the Chica- aged because of how
grounder off the bat of go Cubs. good I feel but that's what and hip) went 1 for 5 Sun- day IL, pinch hit in the sev-
Keon Broxton in the fifth in- "The command, the con- makes it more frustrating, day for Harrisburg as the enth and moved behind
ning, Scherzer recovered trol, just too many walks," because I know it's there," designated hitter. the plate in his first major
to make the play and re- Mets manager Mickey Cal- Rosenthal said. "My stuff's Mets: C Travis d'Arnaud league appearance since
mained in to face 10 more laway said. there. I feel better than (Tommy John surgery) was April 8 last year. He ground-
batters. Washington took a 5-0 lead ever, really, but the results reinstated from the 10- ed out and flied out.q
"It was fine during the in the second, which in- aren't happening so I defi-
game, was able to just kind cluded Victor Robles' RBI nitely want to figure it out."
of keep it moving so it didn't single, Adam Eaton's two- RELIEF REINFORCEMENTS
tighten up," Scherzer said, run double and Howie Ken- Washington recalled RHP
standing in front of his lock- drick's sacrifice fly, his first Joe Ross from Triple-A Fres-
er with his leg wrapped. RBI since May 13. Kendrick no and optioned INF Adri-
"Once I came out of the returned Saturday from a an Sanchez to Double-A
game, once you lose the ruptured right Achilles' ten- Harrisburg. Usually a starter,
adrenaline, it tightened up don sustained last May 19. Ross got just one out in the
pretty good. It kind of hurts Mired in a 2-for-27 slump, ninth before giving up Mi-
to walk right now. but this Brandon Nimmo doubled chael Conforto's three-run
is just a little bone bruise. I'll in a run off of Scherzer in homer. According to Mar-
be fine." the seventh. tinez, Ross will be used in
Washington took two of "You could tell he was tired, relief to aid an ineffective
three from their NL East ri- he was having a little bit bullpen that had a major
val. more trouble command- league-worst 10.02 ERA en-
"His leg got stiff there at the ing in the zone," Nimmo tering Sunday.
end so had to go get him said. "That's not the Scher- TRAINER'S ROOM
out but Max being Max, he zer you're going to face the Nationals: CF Michael A.
competed all day and he first time you go out there." Taylor (sprained right knee