Aaron Nola, Phillies beat Max Scherzer, Nationals

WASHINGTON — Philadelphia Phillies manager Gabe Kapler obviously has a rooting interest. Still, if it were his call, Aaron Nola would win this year’s NL Cy Young Award.

“Just the dependability, the consistency, the creativity,” Kapler said. “The numbers. The numbers speak for themselves.”

All of it was on display Thursday as Nola outdueled Max Scherzer in a meeting of All-Star aces, Odubel Herrera hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and Philadelphia defeated the Washington Nationals, 2-0.

Nola (15-3) was masterful in his matchup with the three-time Cy Young Award winner, allowing five hits and one walk. He escaped his biggest jam with his final pitch, striking out Bryce Harper with runners on first and second to end the eighth. “That was a tough battle,” Nola said. “I got behind in the count right there and a couple curveballs kind of slipped out of my hand a little bit. But I felt confident in my fastball to place it where I needed to.”

Nola struck out nine and has a 2.13 ERA — the exact same ERA as Scherzer. Along with Mets star Jacob deGrom, they are considered the top candidates for the NL Cy Young this season.

Playoff-contending Philadelphia avoided its first five-game losing streak of the season and salvaged the finale of the three-game series. “I think there’s a lot of pitchers around the league who hitters tend to get more comfortable [with],” Kapler said. “It seems like hitters get less comfortable every time they face Aaron Nola. Right when we needed him most, right when we needed him to step up, he really just put the team on his shoulders and carried us today.”

Scherzer (16-6) was nearly as good in the first matchup of starters with at least 150 innings and a sub-2.25 ERA since St. Louis’ John Tudor faced Mets ace Dwight Gooden on Sept. 11, 1985.

Scherzer gave up two hits in seven innings and struck out 10, increasing his major league-leading total to 244.

Scherzer held the Phillies hitless until the fifth, when Jorge Alfaro’s grounder took a hop and skipped past shortstop Trea Turner. There was a smattering of boos when the official scoring of a single was posted on the scoreboard. The Phillies only other hit off Scherzer came in the seventh. After Maikel Franco’s one-out walk, Herrera launched his 20th home run of the season into the rightfield seats above the Nationals’ bullpen.

“You fall behind enough guys, you fall behind enough counts, eventually you get beat by making a mistake and that’s what happened today,” Scherzer said.

Herrera is the first Philadelphia centerfielder with 20 home runs since Aaron Rowand in 2007. Pat Neshek pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.