WASHINGTON -- Max Scherzer was vying for his third career no-hitter June 21 against the Marlins, so Nationals manager Dusty Baker kept his ace in the game entering the eighth inning.
But as the right-hander ran into trouble in that inning, Baker didn't replace him before he relinquished the Nationals' 1-0 lead by giving up two runs and finishing with 121 pitches. At the time, Baker said there wasn't a better option in that situation, but that decision may have also stemmed from Baker's lack of faith in his bullpen, which entered Saturday with the highest ERA in the Majors.