Major League Baseball

Scherzer's shout, Lobaton's fly in 10th send Nats over Miami

Published Sep. 18, 2015 10:49 p.m. ET

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WASHINGTON (AP) In a season that's slipped away from the Washington Nationals, ace Max Scherzer wasn't about to go quietly.

So when manager Matt Williams emerged from the dugout Friday night and headed for a conference with Scherzer, the right-hander shouted him off the mound.

''Some yelling, some four-letter words, and `I want the ball,''' Scherzer said, describing the one-sided conversation in a 5-4, 10-inning win over Miami. ''That was basically the gist of it.''

Williams made it to the lip of the dirt circle before making a U-turn. Scherzer then ended his day by retiring Dee Gordon on a grounder to finish the seventh inning.

Jayson Werth scrambled home to score on Jose Lobaton's sacrifice fly in the 10th as the Nationals clung to their faint playoff hopes.

''We're in a must-win situation,'' said Werth, whose team still remains eight games behind the NL East-leading New York Mets with 15 remaining. ''We've got to win pretty much every game every night we have a chance. So we're going to enjoy these wins.''

Scherzer gave up two runs. Five days after going eight scoreless innings against the Marlins in Miami, he struck out six, walked three and allowed five hits.

''Just a great team win,'' he said. ''Everybody around. Everybody did their job today. Everyone had their hand in this.''

Clint Robinson homered, singled and was intentionally walked twice for the Nationals, who evened their four-game set with the Marlins at 1-all.

The Marlins tied it in the ninth against Jonathan Papelbon, but lost for just the fifth time in 17 games in the 10th.

Werth hit a leadoff double against Brian Ellington (0-1) and Robinson drew an intentional walk. Werth reached third on a passed ball and had to stay there when Ian Desmond chopped a ball back to Ellington.

After another intentional walk, Lobaton hit a pop fly to shallow left. Christian Yelich's throw home was in time, but catcher J.T. Realmuto couldn't corral it, and Werth reached back to touch the plate following a headfirst slide.

''I've slid into home twice so far in my life - I think both times I've face-planted,'' said Werth, who emerged from his slide with a fresh cut above his right eye. ''That new rule is really getting me right now. I'll try feet first next time.''

Yelich thought his throw should've been stronger.

''I didn't do a good enough job getting around the ball,'' he said. ''That's what it came down to.''

Casey Janssen (2-5) pitched for the final two outs of top of the 10th. The inning ended when Lobaton threw out Yelich trying to steal second.

Yelich homered in the first inning for Miami.

Papelbon blew a save chance for the second time this year, both since joining the Nationals before the non-waiver trade deadline.

A day after he was unavailable due to illness, the closer allowed an unearned run on Gordon's sacrifice fly after Miguel Rojas doubled and reached third on right fielder Bryce Harper's overthrow.

''I felt really good,'' Papelbon said. ''I felt like I threw the ball well, and if I could take what I had out there tonight every time, I'd take that.''

STREAKING

Marlins: Gordon has a 10-game hitting streak at Nationals Park. He's batting .340 (15 for 44) with with three extra-base hits and eight runs scored.

Nationals: Werth was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning to extend his on-base streak to 27 games, tying a career-long set last season.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Marlins: Manager Dan Jennings gave INF Martin Prado (wrist) a ''precautionary'' day out of the starting lineup. Jennings didn't specify which wrist Prado injured. . RF Giancarlo Stanton (left wrist fracture) could take live batting practice Saturday, Jennings said. Stanton last took BP on Monday. . RHP Carter Capps (right elbow) threw in a simulated game in Washington earlier in the day will throw at least one more before rejoining the team, Jennings said.

Nationals: Michael Taylor was out of Friday's starting lineup primarily because the Marlins will start lefties on Saturday and Sunday. Williams said he was also ''mindful'' of lingering soreness in Taylor's right knee.

UP NEXT

Marlins LHP Justin Nicolino (3-3, 3.81) makes his 10th career start, while Nationals RHP Jordan Zimmermann (12-8, 3.51) looks to improve to 5-0 over seven starts.

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