Max Scherzer delivers a pitch.  (photo/Bill Greenblatt, UPI)

Max Scherzer delivers a pitch. (photo/Bill Greenblatt, UPI)

For the first time in five career starts against the team the local boy cheered for, Max Scherzer figured out the Cardinals and improved to 3-1 on the season.  The Washington Nationals swept the series with a 6-1 win on Sunday afternoon at Busch Stadium.

Scherzer threw seven shutout innings, striking out nine and allowing just four singles.  No Cardinals runner made it to second base.  Brandon Moss homered in the bottom of the ninth.

The Cardinals have lost four straight and dropped to 5-7 at home this season.

Washington is off to their best start in team history improving to 17-7.  They took a short flight across state and will open a series in Kansas City on Monday night.