Washington ace Max Scherzer fired seven shutout innings as the Nationals earned a 6-1 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.

Scherzer (4-2) bore down on the Rays after they put four runners on base over the first two innings. He wound up yielding six hits and a walk while fanning eight. The seven-time All-Star worked out of trouble in the opening two frames before settling in and recording 10 consecutive outs from the fourth through seventh innings.

Kurt Suzuki was 3-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI, and Brock Holt (double, run) had two hits for the last-place Nationals (15-25).

Rays starter Charlie Morton, working for just the second time since coming off the injured list Wednesday, tossed five innings Monday. Morton (1-2) allowed three runs on four hits while striking out three and walking one, tossing two perfect frames to close his 57-pitch outing.

The first-place Rays (28-14) failed to produce in key situations. The American League East leaders managed eight hits but were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10.

Tampa Bay's Randy Arozarena came off the bench in the seventh inning, then led off the eighth with a solo homer -- his third in two days and fourth this season, all coming in his last four games. Joey Wendle (stolen base) and Kevin Kiermaier (double) had two hits each for the Rays.

Center fielder Kiermaier misplayed a single by Eric Thames to put runners on the corners with one out in the second, and Carter Kieboom beat out a potential inning-ending, double-play grounder for a fielder's choice that scored Josh Harrison for a 1-0 Washington lead.

Victor Robles doubled to lead off the third, and Trea Turner produced his 24th RBI by lining a one-out single to left on an 0-2 offering from Morton. After a flyout, Suzuki drilled a double into the left field corner to plate Turner.

The Nationals added three runs against Trevor Richards in the sixth behind four hits to right field by Holt, Suzuki, Harrison (RBI single) and Michael A. Taylor (two-run double).

The Rays loaded the bases against Will Harris with two outs in the ninth, but closer Daniel Hudson struck out Arozarena with a slider for his eighth save.

--Field Level Media