MIAMI _ In two matchups with Max Scherzer, the Miami Marlins had been the most successful team in the league against him, scoring four earned runs in both games _ the most he's given up in a game this season.
On Friday night at Marlins Park, that trend gave way.
Miami couldn't touch the Washington Nationals' ace all night. In fact, the Marlins didn't get their first base runner until the fourth inning, and they didn't get their first hit until the fifth, when Martin Prado hit a weak single up the middle.
The only run Miami could scratch across was unearned in the seventh inning, when Starlin Castro reached second on a fielding and throwing error by Mark Reynolds, which was followed by an RBI double from Martin Prado.
That was it for the Marlins. They fell, 9-1, and Scherzer went eight innings giving up one unearned run and striking out 11.
Miami manager Don Mattingly said before the game that one of the keys to beating Scherzer is for your own starter to give you a chance. It looked like starter Pablo Lopez would fail to do that early.
Lopez gave up four runs in the first three innings _ one in the first, one in the second and two in the third. Lopez settled down eventually, though, and lasted 52/3 innings just giving up the four early runs.
Where things blew up on the Marlins was the eighth inning. Right-hander Javy Guerra gave up five runs and five hits in the inning, as Washington blew the game wide open.
With Scherzer on the mound, though, it didn't matter. The three-time Cy Young winner caused awkward swings and weak contact all night.
The loss moves the Marlins to 1-8 against the Nationals, their worst record against any club, and 44-61 overall.
