This is not a drill: The Nats won a (dominant) Max Scherzer start!

Winning when your ace is on the mound shouldn't be all that surprising. But given how the Nationals have struggled in Max Scherzer starts, Sunday's 4-1 victory over the Reds is cause for some celebration (cabbage, anyone?). 

Despite Scherzer pitching like the three-time Cy Young winner he is to begin 2019, the Nats entered Sunday 2-10 in games he started this season, the bullpen and the offense both offering him little support. 

Max Scherzer leads the majors with a 2.33 FIP but owns a win/loss record of just 2-5. Do you know who the last pitcher was to finish a full season with a FIP below 2.50 and a winning percentage under .300?

Bob Steele...

...in 1917.

— Matt Weyrich (@MattWeyrichFBB) June 2, 2019

But on Sunday in Cincinnati, the Nats gave their ace some help, jumping out to an early 2-0 lead courtesy of RBI hits from Anthony Rendon and Kurt Suzuki.

Meanwhile, Scherzer was dealing. 

Max Scherzer has his A stuff early on in Cincy. He's through three innings of hitless ball with 6 K's. Nasty first trip through the order. #Nats

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) June 2, 2019

Max Scherzer's 6th K today is the 2,557th of his career.

He has passed Jerry Koosman and is in sole possession of 30th place on @MLB's All-Time Career Strikeout Leaderboard.#Scherzday // #OnePursuit pic.twitter.com/FmmRZBEbNA

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 2, 2019

Scherzer finished with a season-high 15 strikeouts, pitching eight dominant innings and allowing just one run. And the offense came up with two massive insurance runs in the eighth, Brian Dozier driving them in with a bases loaded single. 

Max Scherzer is the man. 15 punchouts in 8 dominant innings. Screaming "no" toward his manager as soon as Davey Martinez came out of the dugout to talk to him in the 8th. Worth every penny of the $210M the Nationals will pay him.

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) June 2, 2019

This is the 44th time Max Scherzer has struck out 10+ while allowing 0 or 1 earned run. Only 6 pitchers in MLB history have ever done that more times:
Randy Johnson (108)
Nolan Ryan (106)
Roger Clemens (67)
Pedro Martinez (65)
Sandy Koufax (54)
Curt Schilling (47)

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) June 2, 2019

Is it ridiculous to start having the “Was Max Scherzer the best free agent signing ever?” conversation? I’m no baseball historian, but damn, I have trouble thinking of many better.

— Dan Kolko (@masnKolko) June 2, 2019

In fact, manager Davey Martinez seemed ready to pull Scherzer with two outs in the eighth inning. But Scherzer had just one word for him: NO. 

Max Scherzer.

NO. pic.twitter.com/fE5ZWudbFo

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 2, 2019

Scherzer, of course, went on finish the inning by emphatically striking out Reds slugger Joey Votto, and Sean Doolittle tossed a spotless ninth for his 12th save to close out a Nats' triumph in the game and the series. At long last, Scherzer had his third win of the season, his first since May 11.

What a privilege it is to witness greatness every fifth day.

Max Scherzer's dominance in 15 pitches:

1st inning - strikeout
2nd inning - 2 strikeouts
3rd inning - 3 strikeouts
4th inning - strikeout
5th inning - 2 strikeouts
6th inning - 3 strikeouts
7th inning - strikeout
8th inning - 2 strikeouts#Scherzday // #OnePursuit pic.twitter.com/3w0UrroFgs

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 2, 2019

Don’t look now, but the Nationals have won 7 of their last 9. They just capped a 4-1 road trip. Rotation is clicking, bats are coming around. It’s a soft spot in the schedule and they are capitalizing.

— Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughesNBCS) June 2, 2019

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