Meister der Farbe » n roster limit Saturday. Their season open

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Nationals comfortably lead the NL East, but after losing four straight games, they needed a win. Good thing it was Max Scherzers turn in the rotation.Scherzer allowed two hits over eight innings and Bryce Harpers two-run double helped the Nationals avoid a four-game home-and-home sweep with a 4-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.Scherzer (14-7) struck out 10 and did not walk a batter. He retired 12 straight after Adam Joness fourth-inning double and 21 of 22 before Mark Trumbos leadoff single in the eighth.He stopped the skid, Harper said of Scherzer. Unbelievable start by him tonight. You kind of imagine him going out there and doing that. When he does it, its that much better.Jayson Werths solo home run off Ubaldo Jimenez (5-11) in the fourth inning staked Washington to a 1-0 lead. Daniel Murphys RBI double in the eighth came before Harpers second hit helped the Nationals pull away.The Nationals had dropped three straight to the Orioles, who won twice in Baltimore before the teams shifted to Washington.Trumbo stole second base with two outs in the eighth, but J.J. Hardy flied out to deep center field on Scherzers 95th and final pitch. Mark Melancon allowed one hit in the ninth.We needed that so badly, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. Masterful. Masterful job by Max.Scherzer won his second straight start, but was far more dominant than in each of his two previous outings when he allowed eight runs and struck out nine.The right-hander retired the first nine batters and struck out two in each of the first three innings. Scherzer recorded his 47th game -- 11th this season -- with at least 10 strikeouts.Jimenez allowed one run and five hits over six innings. He made his first start since July 28, but has lost three straight. The right-hander made three relief appearances before re-entering Baltimores rotation because of Chris Tillmans injury.It felt really good to be able to be there for the team, especially right now (since) Tilly went down, Jimenez said. Felt good that I was able to compete and give us a chance to be close.Scherzer helped his own cause defensively in the fifth without seeing the ball. With his back facing home plate, he fielded a comebacker hit by Jonathan Schoop between his legs and threw him out at first base.I think were going to be hearing a lot about that in the next couple of days so I dont want to give him too much credit, Harper joked.Manny Machados home run helped fuel Baltimores offense in Wednesdays 10-8 triumph. On Thursday, he went hitless in four at-bats and 0 for 3 against Scherzer, falling to 1 of 18 all-time in the head-to-head matchup. Machado struck out with Jones on third and one out in the fourth.You cant just float anything in there. Everything has to be full throttle, Scherzer said of facing Baltimore. With that lineup, if you make one mistake their going to hit it 450 feet.After Jones was left stranded, Werth hammered the first pitch in the fourth over the wall in center field.Harper singled in the fourth and stole his 18th base, matching his career-high.HELP ARRIVESWashington acquired LHP Marc Rzepczynski (1-0, 3.00 ERA) and cash from Oakland on Thursday for minor league INF Max Schrock.STRONG GRIP2016 Olympic gold medalist wrestler Helen Maroulis, who hails from the Maryland suburbs, threw out the first pitch.TRAINERS ROOMOrioles: Jones left in the ninth with hamstring cramps, but said he expects to play Friday. ... Manager Buck Showalter said Tillman (right shoulder bursitis) would throw on flat ground Monday or Tuesday.Nationals: Stephen Strasburg, on the 15-day DL with right elbow soreness, played catch the last two days, Baker said, adding that the soreness is not in the same spot where Strasburg had Tommy John surgery in 2010. ... RHP Joe Ross, out since July3 with right shoulder inflammation, threw Thursday and may not be too far of from going on a rehab assignment, Baker said.UP NEXTOrioles: Yovani Gallardo (4-5, 5.08) and Yankees RHP Luis Cessa (3-0, 4.01 ERA) open the three-game series in New York.Nationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez (8-9, 4.30) faces Rockies RHP Jeff Hoffman (0-1, 13.50) in the first of three games against Colorado. Wojciech Szczesny Jersey . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. Miralem Pjanic Juventus Jersey . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. http://www.juventusfcpro.com/Kids-Daniele-Rugani-Jersey/ . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. Mattia De Sciglio Juventus Jersey . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. Leonardo Bonucci Juventus Jersey . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Tamba Hali signed a three-year contract to remain with the Kansas City Chiefs this spring under the assumption that the aging linebacker would become a part-time pass-rush specialist.Hali had better be prepared for regular work.The Chiefs placed fellow linebackers Justin Houston on the physically unable to perform list and Josh Mauga on injured reserve Tuesday as they trimmed down to the NFLs 75-player roster limit. Houston is slowly recovering from knee surgery in February and Mauga will have surgery on his hip next week.Its all up to the coaches, said Hali, who turns 33 in November and is coming off his own knee surgery. If he wants me in there more, Im in there more.Hali was reduced to playing only in games last season, the pain and swelling in his balky left knee too much to deal with in practice. The offseason procedure was supposed to clean everything up, but Hali acknowledged Tuesday that he will probably play through pain the rest of his career.Not that its anything new. Hali remembered playing nose tackle at Penn State with two high ankle sprains. It was torture at the time, he said, but taught him to be mentally strong.Ive played through a lot of pain. Its just part of the game, he said. Brainwash sounds like a bad term, but its a good term in my eyes. The way I was bred, I learned how to work through it.Houston is not expected to return until late this season, if at all -- he is due to be examined again by Dr. James Andrews in early October. And that means Kansas City will be desperate for Hali to provide some kind of pass rush. He may not have 14 1/2 sacks like Hali had during his heyday, but replicating the six or so sacks hes had each of the past two seasons is reasonable.It would help if the pass rusher on the opposite side helped out.The Chiefs are hopeful that former first-round pick Dee Ford takes a big step forward. He has been a liability in pass coverage and against the run, but has flashed some ability to get to the quarterback.Hes a better player now than he was at the end of last year, Chiefs linebackers coach Gary Gibbs said. Hes more physical and has a better grasp of the defense.Maugas injury means that the sstarting spot alongside Derrick Johnson opens in the middle of the Kansas City defense.dddddddddddd. Justin March and Ramik Wilson have been battling for that spot.Mauga tore the labrum in his hip in early August. He will have surgery on Sept. 8.The Chiefs also waived wide receiver Mitch Matthews, getting them to 76 players by Tuesdays deadline. The limit is normally 75, but Kansas City got a roster exemption for All-Pro safety Eric Berry, their franchise player who reported to camp for the first time Sunday.The Chiefs play their preseason finale Thursday night against Green Bay, then have to trim to the 53-man roster limit Saturday. Their season opener is Sept. 11 against San Diego.In other news, Jamaal Charles said he will be ready for the opener, even though Reid admitted that Hali was a little ahead of the running back in his recovery. Charles had surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee last season, and along with Hali skipped the first part of training camp.I am going full-go right now. Im out here. Im practicing, Charles said. I could be doing something else, sitting on a coach, watching TV, so Im happy to be out there with my teammates.It remains unclear exactly how much work Charles will get this season. The Chiefs got by so well with Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware when Charles got hurt last season that they signed both to long-term contracts, though each of them have slightly different skill sets.Charles remains the most polished, versatile of the running back trio.Im just happy Im out here, Charles said. Every day is different. I just have to trust when I step on the field, preseason or no preseason, I just got to trust the process.Game notes Few starters, if any, are expected to play against the Packers. Third-string QB Tyler Bray will start the game and Aaron Murray and Kevin Hogan will also play. ... The Chiefs waived-injured FB Trey Millard, who tore his ACL in a preseason game against the Rams. He had surgery Monday.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '