WASHINGTON-Max Scherzer was so sharp, it was easy to imagine him throwing another no-hitter. Or striking out 20 again.
Or both.
Scherzer retired the first 16 batters he faced and threw seven innings of two-hit ball, striking out 11 in a pitching masterpiece that carried the Washington Nationals past the Chicago Cubs 4-1 Monday night.
As Scherzer mowed down one hitter after another, manager Dusty Baker began to wonder if the right-hander was on his way to accomplishing something historic.
"If he's done it once, you know he can do it again," Baker said. "You allow yourself to think it. You don't talk about it, but you think it. He was awesome to start the game. He just made one mistake."
Scherzer's bid for his third career no-hitter ended with one out in the sixth when Addison Russell hit a 3-2 pitch into the left-field seats. The only other batter to reach against Scherzer (8-4) was Anthony Rizzo, who doubled in the seventh.
Facing the team with the best record in the majors, Scherzer became the 26th pitcher in baseball history to have 40 games with at least 10 strikeouts. He has won three straight starts, allowing only three runs over 22 innings.
Scherzer also earned a measure of revenge against the Cubs after yielding seven runs in five innings at Wrigley Field on May 6 in the midst of Chicago's four-game sweep.
"I remember that," he said. "They beat my brains in last time, and I wanted to come out there and take my shot at them."
Royals 2, Indians 1
KANSAS CITY, Mo.-Whit Merrifield hit his first career homer, Edinson Volquez tossed seven innings of two-hit ball and Kansas City beat Cleveland to end a five-game skid against the Indians.
Alcides Esocbar also drove in a run for the Royals, who have won three in a row after an eight-game losing streak. They also won their seventh consecutive game at Kauffman Stadium.
Volquez (6-6) walked the bases loaded in the first inning before settling down, allowing only a double to Jason Kipnis and a single to Lonnie Chisenhall. Volquez also hit a batter with a pitch and worked around an error, but ultimately kept the Indians from pushing a run across.
Phillies 7, Blue Jays 0
TORONTO-Ryan Howard and Odubel Herrera homered, Jerad Eickhoff pitched six spotless innings to win consecutive starts for the first time this season, and Philadelphia snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Toronto.
Herrera went 2 for 5 with three RBIs as the Phillies won for the third time in 13 meetings with Toronto. Peter Bourjos had two hits and two RBIs for Philadelphia, which had lost 17 of 22 overall.
Eickhoff (4-8) allowed three hits. He walked four and struck out five.
David Hernandez pitched the seventh, Hector Neris handled the eighth and Andrew Bailey finished the six-hitter.
Toronto scored 21 runs in winning its previous two games but did not manage an extra-base hit against the Phillies.
Reds 9, Braves 8
ATLANTA-Tyler Holt's bases-loaded walk off closer Arodys Vizcaino forced in the tie-breaking run in the ninth inning and Cincinnati beat Atlanta in a matchup of teams with the worst records in the National League.
Five Braves pitchers combined for eight walks, including three by Vizcaino (1-2) in the ninth.
Adam Duvall hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs for the Reds.
Joey Votto hit a leadoff bloop double into shallow left field to lead off the ninth. The ball fell off third baseman Adonis Garcia's glove as he ran with his back to the infield.
Vizcaino struck out Brandon Phillips before issuing an intentional walk to Jay Bruce. Duvall popped out before Eugenio Suarez walked to load the bases.
Ross Ohlendorf (5-5) allowed one run in the eighth on two hits and two walks.