WASHINGTON _ Jameson Taillon approached pitching coach Ray Searage, who was standing on the steps in the visitor's dugout at Nationals Park, and bear-hugged him. Taillon then descended into the dugout and embraced manager Clint Hurdle. His season was over.
The Pirates roared back Saturday, riding a four-run ninth inning to a 4-1 win over the Washington Nationals, and Taillon closed his rollercoaster campaign on a high note. He tossed seven innings of one-run baseball, his longest outing since April. Taillon scattered four singles, issued an intentional walk and struck out five. He lowered his season ERA to 4.44.
Taillon put the Pirates (74-87) in position to win, and Max Moroff did the heavy lifting. After singling off right-hander Max Scherzer in the third, the Pirates' only hit prior to the ninth, Moroff walked in his next two at-bats before clobbering a bases-clearing triple of reliever Brandon Kintzler with two outs in the ninth. Felipe Rivero closed the ballgame to claim a save against his old club.
For Taillon, rest awaits. It is long overdue. The 25-year-old right-hander missed five weeks this season after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer in May but still threw 1332/3 innings. He had a 2.73 ERA in 11 starts prior to the All-Star break and a 5.83 mark the rest of the way. He ended strong, allowing 10 total runs over his last six starts, which included a six-run outing.
The series will conclude Sunday with left-hander Steven Brault opposing lefty Gio Gonzalez opposing. Nationals (97-64) starters have held the Pirates to two runs in 17 innings this series.
Because of precedent, particularly the fact the Pirates had managed only one run in 16 previous innings against Scherzer at Nationals Park, it was fair to wonder how they'd fare Saturday when Scherzer took the mound for the final time this regular season. He entered with a 2.55 ERA in 1971/3 innings with 263 strikeouts and 0.907 WHIP, both league-leading totals.
Scherzer's load was lessened an hour before first pitch when Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates' best hitter this season, was scratched from the lineup because of left foot discomfort.
Scherzer spent 14 pitches in a 1-2-3 first inning, and 13 in a 1-2-3 second. After Elias Diaz whiffed leading off the third, Scherzer had seen seven batters and retired them in order. He sat 20 outs away from a perfect game, the historic pitching milestone which eluded him June 20, 2015, when he struck Jose Tabata's diving elbow with a slider with two outs in the ninth.
On Saturday, Scherzer's second chance at perfection was short-lived, scotched in the third when Moroff sent a two-strike changeup to center field for the Pirates' first hit.
Scherzer's outing also was short-lived. He landed awkwardly while pitching to Josh Bell in the fourth inning, hopped off the rubber and circled the mound. He readied for the 3-2 pitch and was halted by second baseman Daniel Murphy. The infielders converged on the mound, calling for an athletic trainer, and after a brief discussion Scherzer retreated to the dugout.
One night after doubling twice and homering twice, Ryan Zimmerman gave the Nationals their only run Saturday with an RBI single in the second inning. Sean Rodriguez tied it with a full-count, two-out single off Kintzler in the ninth, and Moroff followed with the deciding blow.
