Washington Nationals Top Games Of 2015: #3 – Max Scherzer Ends Season With 2nd No-Hitter

Our number three game on our Top 10 Games of the 2015 season is Max Scherzer ending his season with a historic outing in New York. 

We continue our countdown of the top ten games of this past season by going back to the final series of the season. As the summer months were winding down, Washington Nationals fans were hoping this series against the New York Mets at Citi Field would mean a lot more. Instead, New York was preparing for the playoffs while the Nats were finishing the year. However, that didn’t stop Max Scherzer from throwing his second no-hitter of the season during Game 2 of a doubleheader on October 2.

Due to a rainout the night prior, the Nats played a day-night doubleheader in Queens. Washington took Game 1, 3-1, thanks to a game-winning two-run home run by Bryce Harper in the top of the eighth against Addison Reed. For Game 2, the Nats sent their ace in Scherzer to the mound against Matt Harvey for the Mets.

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The Nats would put up two hits against Harvey in the third inning thanks to a couple of rookies. Wilmer Difo was able to reach on an infield single with one out, but ended up breaking his hand on a head first slide. Trea Turner would single to right two batters later, but both Turner and Scherzer (who reached on a bunt) would be left stranded on base.

The game would stay scoreless until the top of the sixth when the Nats finally got to Harvey. Michael Taylor started the inning by reaching on an error by Kelly Johnson. Clint Robinson would single to center two batters later to put runners on the corners with one out. Then, Wilson Ramos would score the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly to center that drove in Taylor.

The sixth would be Harvey’s last inning as he gave up one unearned run on four hits and struck out 11 batters in the loss. During the bottom of the sixth, the Mets would have their only runner reach base when Kevin Plawecki reached on a throwing error by Yunel Escobar to begin the inning.

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One inning later, the Nationals would score the second and final run of the game when Dan Uggla hit a solo shot to right field against Hansel Robles. It was Uggla’s second home run of the season. His other home run came in the Nats’ comeback win against the Braves back in April.

As for Scherzer, he ended his second no-hitter in dominant style. Over the last three innings of the game, he struck out eight of the final nine batters he faced. The only batter he did not strike out was Curtis Granderson, who popped out to Escobar at third to end the game.

Next: Tanner Roark A Crucial Part Of 2016 Rotation

The Nats’ ace struck out 17 batters and did not walk anyone on 109 pitches (70 strikes) to pick up his 14^th win of the season. He became the sixth pitcher in baseball history to throw two no-hitters in a single season and he tied the great Nolan Ryan for the most K’s in a no-no. His game score of 104 was the highest of the season and the second highest for a nine-inning game (Kerry Wood in 1998).