NEW YORK — Max Scherzer pitched his second no-hitter this season for the Washington Nationals, striking out a team-record 17 in a 2-0 victory over the New York Mets.
Only one batter reached base against Scherzer, and that came when third baseman Yunel Escobar bounced a throw for an error on Kevin Plawecki’s leadoff grounder in the sixth inning.
The all-star righty became just the sixth pitcher to throw two no-hitters in a year, and the first since Roy Halladay in 2010. The former Philadelphia Phillies ace had one in the regular season and another in the playoffs. He became the first pitcher to have two no-hitters in the regular season since the California Angels’ Nolan Ryan did so in 1973.
Scherzer struck out nine consecutive batters before Curtis Granderson hit an easy popup to Escobar to end it on his 109th pitch.
Working quickly on a brisk, blustery night at Citi Field, Scherzer (14-12) added to the no-hitter he threw against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 20, when he came within one strike of a perfect game.
The only other pitchers to have two no-hitters in one season were the Reds’ Johnny Vander Meer, who had them in consecutive games in 1938; the New York Yankees’ Allie Reynolds in 1951 and the Detroit Tigers’ Virgil Trucks in 1952.
The Mets lost their fifth in a row, having dropped the opener, 3-1. The skid has put in peril their chance of getting home-field advantage in the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Scherzer pitched the seventh no-hitter in the majors this year, including one by San Francisco Giants rookie Chris Heston at Citi Field on June 9.
In a season that has spiraled downward for the Nationals, the gems by Scherzer have been highlights. This also marked the second consecutive year a Washington pitcher came up big late; Jordan Zimmermann threw the first no-hitter in Nationals history on the final day of the regular season in 2014.
At times, Scherzer looked as if he was simply playing catch with Wilson Ramos. Wherever Ramos put his catcher’s mitt, Scherzer seemed to hit it.
Matt Harvey (13-8) lost despite allowing just one unearned run and four hits in six innings.
The Nationals won the opener when Bryce Harper hit a tiebreaking, two-run home run in the eighth off Addison Reed (3-3). It was Harper’s 42nd home run. Rafael Martin (2-0) got one out as the Nationals ended a six-game skid against the Mets. Felipe Rivero worked the ninth for his second save.
Scherzer’s no-hitter was the seventh in franchise history. Four were thrown by pitchers with the Montreal Expos.
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