inning doubles by Jake Lamb and Welington Castillo to get through six innings with just two runs allowed and six hits. He struck out 10 batters for the 13th

WASHINGTON -- When Anthony Rendon hit a three-run home run to put the Washington Nationals ahead, Dusty Baker couldnt contain his excitement. The veteran manager was so excited about Max Scherzer being in line for his 19th win that he celebrated in the dugout with the Cy Young Award candidate.Thanks to Rendon and his own in-game adjustments, Scherzer got that 19th win as the Nationals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 on Tuesday night. Scherzer gets the chance at win No. 20 in his final start Sunday, something Baker was thinking about all along.He really cared about it, Scherzer said of Baker. You could just tell that he really wanted it. That just shows you how great our team is that when were down two runs in the sixth inning we find a way.Scherzer (19-7) shook off a leadoff home run by Jean Segura and third-inning doubles by Jake Lamb and Welington Castillo to get through six innings with just two runs allowed and six hits. He struck out 10 batters for the 13th time this season and 49th time in his career, reaching 277 strikeouts in 2016 to break his own Nationals record set last year.As pumped as Baker was about Scherzer strengthening his Cy Young Award case, the right-hander knew this was an important game, with the Los Angeles Dodgers chasing Washington for home-field advantage in their NL Division Series. The Nationals lead Los Angeles by two games with five to play, after the Dodgers lost 7-1 at San Diego.Thats what were playing for, said Scherzer, who mixed in his slider, curveball and changeup to strike out six consecutive batters at one point. I know the 19 wins, yada, yada, yada, but the most important thing is the team wins. I would love to have Game 5 here at Nationals Park facing the Dodgers. In a short series, home-field advantage matters.After Arizonas Matt Koch held the Nationals without a hit through five innings of his first major league start, Rendon hit his 19th home run of the season, depositing a fastball from Randall Delgado (4-2) into the visiting bullpen in left-center field. That set off Baker and Scherzers emotional celebration and earned Rendon a curtain call from the crowd of 24,297.It was pretty cool, said Rendon, whose home run was his 500th career hit. Its definitely humbling, too. It doesnt happen too often, so enjoy it.Rendon stepped up with power in the Nationals first game without all-star catcher Wilson Ramos, out for the rest of the season and playoffs after tearing the ACL in his right knee Monday. Backup catcher Jose Lobaton also contributed at the plate like Baker needs him to, and Rendon supplied the big hit at the start of what the manager referred to as hero time with so much at stake.With Ramos out, reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper still not ready to return from a thumb injury and Daniel Murphy out with a strained glute, Rendon is needed more than ever and he delivered.Hes a guy that can hit second, third, fourth, fifth depending on who we have out there, Baker said. Hes virtually unfazed by almost any situation. You cant tell when hes excited and that helps him at the plate.KOCH COMES THROUGHKoch impressed manager Chip Hale by being so aggressive and effective in his first start after five relief appearances. Lobatons single in the sixth ended the no-hit bid, but the 25-year-old probably wouldnt have been able to go much longer with a pitch limit around 75.The right-hander finished with 69 pitches, 47 for strikes.This was a guy who has already shown in the relief appearance that we gave him that hes not afraid and he goes right at guys, Hale said.TRAINERS ROOMDiamondbacks: Hale said RHP Rubby De La Rosa successfully had stem cell injections in his elbow. De La Rosa is trying the stem cell procedure in an attempt to avoid a second Tommy John surgery.Nationals: LHP Sammy Solis threw a perfect seventh inning in his first appearance since Aug. 15 after a stint on the DL with shoulder inflammation.UP NEXTLHP Gio Gonzalez (11-10, 4.51 ERA) starts the third of the four-game series for the Nationals against Diamondbacks RHP Shelby Miller (2-12, 6.47). Clearance Nike Zoom Shoes UK . After Mondays hard-fought loss, the wait seemed longer than usual. 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AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel have been ruled out of South Africas upcoming two-Test series against New Zealand with injury. Faf du Plessis will stand in as captain. Dale Steyn and Vernon Philanders return to fitness and Wayne Parnells first Test call-up since the Australia series in 2014 will ensure South Africas pace pack has several options including Kagiso Rabada, Chris Morris and Kyle Abbott.For du Plessis, the elevation to captaincy is also a recall of sorts. He was dropped from the Test XI for South Africas last Test, against England in January but will now automatically have his place back. It also means de Villiers will not play in his first series since being made permanent Test captain after the England series, following a period of uncertainty about his commitment to the national team.De Villiers spent significant amounts of last summer discussing the need to manage his workload but towards the end, gave South Africans an assurance that he would not miss any international cricket but an elbow injury sustained during the CPL will rule him out of action for between six and eight weeks. Im naturally disappointed to miss the Test series against New Zealand, particularly because I have not missed a Test match through injury since my debut in 2004, de Villiers said. However, with an exciting summer of cricket ahead, it is obviously sensible to allow my elbow time to heal properly.Morkel, who also played in the CPL, has a bulging disk in his back and will be sidelined for four to six weeks. South Africa are hopeful of having both players fit for the start of the home ODI series against Australia in October.Despite the two major injury concerns, South Africa welcome back Philander and Steyn, both of whom missed significant parts of last season with injury. Philander tore ankle ligaments in the warm-ups of the second Test against India while Steyn sustained groin and shoulder injuries that kept him out of six of South Africas last eight Tests.Philander made a return for his franchise, the Cape Cobras, towards the end of last season and has since played for South Africas A side. Steyn was part of the World T20 squad and was rested from the ODI tri-series in the Caribbean but has played in both the NatWest T20 Blast and the CPL since, which has given South Africas convener of selectors Linda Zondi some cause for comfort.It is most unfortunate that we will nott be able to call on two players of the quality and experience of de Villiers and Morkel.ddddddddddddHowever, we are fortunate to have a capable stand-in captain. Injuries are a reality that we have to deal with and with both Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander fit and firing again after respective long-term injuries, I am confident we have the players to take on New Zealand.Among those players are JP Duminy, who has kept his place despite being dropped for the New Years Test against England, sole specialist spinner Dane Piedt and Stiaan van Zyl, who is looking to find a spot in the middle order after being dropped as opening batsman in favour of Stephen Cook, who is set to keep his place. Zondi had previously indicated Cook will be given a fair run to establish himself and proof of that came when Cook was named captain of the South Africa A side.He led the team in Zimbabwe last month and is doing the same job in the ongoing series in Australia. Although the A side were beaten by Australia A in their first four-day game, their victories in Zimbabwe has convinced Zondi the players have had enough game time in preparation for New Zealand. He said it was a very encouraging sign that Test squad members had performed well in Zimbabwe.South Africas Test squad members have only had the A matches to prepare for in seven months, since the series against England in January. Abbott and Rabada have played county cricket but the rest have mostly been occupied at T20 leagues.It is also South Africas first series since CSA confirmed they will be introducing a target on the number of players of colour in their teams in accordance with a memorandum of understanding signed with the South African sports ministry. Specific numbers have not been confirmed. However, at the weekend Afrikaans-language newspaper Rapport claimed CSA have agreed on six players of colour in every starting XI, of which at least two must be black African. In this squad, South Africa have seven players of colour which includes two black Africans.South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Stephen Cook, Quinton de Kock (wk), JP Duminy, Dean Elgar, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Stiaan van Zyl ' ' '