LDN - Sports

Turner, Nationals edge Phillies

[August 31, 2016] PHILADELPHIA -- Trea Turner isn't just having a rookie's month to remember. He is enjoying one of the best months ever by a Washington Nationals hitter.

The 23-year-old shortstop, a July call-up, collected two more hits Tuesday, and helped back a strong outing from starter Max Scherzer in a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Turner posted his 15th multi-hit game in August alone. He also raised his average for the month to .357 (45-for-126). Turner is two hits from tying the Nationals/Expos franchise record for a month, a mark shared by Daniel Murphy (May 2016), Marquis Grissom (June 1994) and Al Oliver (August 1982).

Quickly, he's changing everybody's expectations.

"You don't expect it, but you accept it," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "He's been playing a lot... I've got to give him a day off so he doesn't wear down."

Coming off one of his most dominant performances of the season, Scherzer (15-7) was near-untouchable early and merely terrific late.

Pitching eight innings, he gave up two runs on three hits and a walk. He struck out 11 to hit the double-digit strikeout mark for the 12th time this season, a franchise record.

"I could tell they were coming out first-pitch aggressive, and fortunately I got some quick outs there, first-pitch outs," he said. "The difference tonight was I really had a good cut slider going into the lefties, I really had a good feel for that, working on the inner half of using that. And that really allowed me to use my fastball, and then pitch with the changeup."

"That's why he's Max," Baker said. "You know we had a good chance to win when Max pitches, and there's a good chance of him going deep in the game."

Scherzer held the Phillies hitless through the first five innings before Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis doubled down the right field line to open up the sixth inning.

Mark Melancon pitched around a leadoff walk in the ninth for his 37th save of the season overall and seventh in a Washington uniform since coming over from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the trade deadline.

Ryan Howard provided the Phillies' only runs with a two-run home run to left-center in the seventh inning. The 377th career home run from the slugging first baseman moved him into a tie with Jeff Kent and Norm Cash for 73rd on the all-time home run list, one behind Matt Williams.

"Sometimes I think (my swing) has just been a little bit too quick," he said. "Just try to slow everything down and just relax and see the ball."

Washington's offense backed Scherzer before the ace even took the mound.

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Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws a pitch during the fifth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Nationals defeated the Phillies, 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Murphy's two-out double was followed by a Bryce Harper rocket RBI double to the center field wall. Wilson Ramos made the lead 2-0 when he brought Harper home two batters later with a single up the middle.

"He can smell it -- when he gets some runs, it's usually a shutdown inning, he doesn't give it right back," Baker said. "It usually takes a while for them to score off of Max."

Scherzer himself provided a key RBI with a sacrifice bunt in the fourth inning to score Ryan Zimmerman.

Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff (9-13) was pulled after six innings. He gave up three runs on five hits while striking out four and walking three.

It was the eighth game in a row in which the Nationals (77-55) beat Philadelphia, which ties the longest streak ever in Expos/Nationals franchise history against the Phillies.

Philadelphia (60-72) is guaranteed to remain without a series win in its past six series within the National League East, going 0-5-1 since sweeping Atlanta from July 4-6. That is a trend the club needs to reverse, with 11 more consecutive games against NL East opponents and 25 of 32 against division foes coming to close out the season.

"Big home run by Howard but wasn't enough," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We have to get hits to score runs if we want to win games and we're just not doing it. We're just not scoring."

NOTES: Tuesday was the 19th day in a row that Washington played a game, and the Nationals are 10-9 during that stretch. ... The Phillies are in the middle of 16 consecutive games against NL East opponents (Aug. 26-Sep. 11), and they are 1-5 start to start that span. ... The series concludes Wednesday night with Philadelphia LHP Adam Morgan (1-8, 6.50 ERA) opposed by Washington LHP Gio Gonzalez (9-9, 4.25).

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