Max Scherzer strikes out 12 in 5-5 tie between Nationals and Marlins...

Adam Eaton doubled off Miami Marlins’ starter Dan Straily to start tonight’s game, moved to third on a sac bunt by Trea Turner, and after a walk to Juan Soto, scored on a sac fly to right off Anthony Rendon’s bat, 1-0. It was the start of a big offensive night for Eaton.

With a leadoff single (by Curtis Granderson, on Max Scherzer’s first pitch), and a two-out RBI double to left (by Starlin Castro), however, the Marlins tied things up in the home-half of the first inning, 1-1.

Victor Robles tripled to center in the top of the third, driving Yan Gomes in after the catcher reached base on a pop to second that Starlin Castro couldn’t catch, 2-1. Robles then scored when Eaton doubled for the second time in the game and the fifth time this Spring, 3-1, and Eaton scored on a sac fly by Juan Soto, 4-1 after two and a half.

Scherzer was up to five Ks (from 10 batters) after he got Granderson looking for the first out of the Marlins’ third, and he was up to six straight Marlins set down after he retired the side in order.

Back-to-back singles by Castro and Garrett Cooper in the bottom of the fourth set the Fish up with an opportunity to cut into the Nationals’ lead, but back-to-back-to-back Ks (his 6th, 7th, and 8th from 17 batters) got Scherzer the three outs without any damage, leaving him at 49 pitches total on the night.

Neil Walker took Scherzer deep to right for a two-out, two-run homer on a first-pitch change from the Nationals’ starter, cutting Washington’s lead down 4-3 in the fifth.

Castro and Cooper both hit singles in the at bats that followed Walker’s blast, but they were stranded at the end of the Marlins’ fifth.

Scherzer worked around a single and picked up his 10th K from 28 batters faced in the sixth to wrap up the inning at a relatively efficient 83 pitches overall.

Robles walked with two down in the Nationals’ half of the seventh, stole second (stolen base No. 7 this Spring) and scored on a two-out single by Eaton (3 for 4, 2 2B), 5-3.

Marlins’ right-hander Riley Ferrell issued his second and third walks of the inning in the next two at bats, putting Trea Turner and Juan Soto on before he was replaced by another right-hander, Drew Steckenrider, who faced Anthony Rendon with the bases loaded, and got out No. 3 on a force at second on a grounder to short for the third out of the inning.

Scherzer returned to the mound in the bottom of the seventh and picked up his 11th & 12th strikeouts from 32 batters faced on the way to a scoreless frame that left him at 96 pitches overall on the night.

BULLPEN ACTION: Sean Doolittle got the eighth for the Nationals, retiring the Marlins in order in a quick inning of work.

Kyle Barraclough replaced Vidal Nuño with a runner on in the bottom of the ninth and he gave up a two-out, game-tying home run, 5-5.