though, after she eschewed racing internationally to spe

WASHINGTON -- When Anthony Rendon hit a three-run home run to put the Washington Nationals ahead, Dusty Baker couldnt contain his excitement. The veteran manager was so excited about Max Scherzer being in line for his 19th win that he celebrated in the dugout with the Cy Young Award candidate.Thanks to Rendon and his own in-game adjustments, Scherzer got that 19th win as the Nationals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 on Tuesday night. Scherzer gets the chance at win No. 20 in his final start Sunday, something Baker was thinking about all along.He really cared about it, Scherzer said of Baker. You could just tell that he really wanted it. That just shows you how great our team is that when were down two runs in the sixth inning we find a way.Scherzer (19-7) shook off a leadoff home run by Jean Segura and third-inning doubles by Jake Lamb and Welington Castillo to get through six innings with just two runs allowed and six hits. He struck out 10 batters for the 13th time this season and 49th time in his career, reaching 277 strikeouts in 2016 to break his own Nationals record set last year.As pumped as Baker was about Scherzer strengthening his Cy Young Award case, the right-hander knew this was an important game, with the Los Angeles Dodgers chasing Washington for home-field advantage in their NL Division Series. The Nationals lead Los Angeles by two games with five to play, after the Dodgers lost 7-1 at San Diego.Thats what were playing for, said Scherzer, who mixed in his slider, curveball and changeup to strike out six consecutive batters at one point. I know the 19 wins, yada, yada, yada, but the most important thing is the team wins. I would love to have Game 5 here at Nationals Park facing the Dodgers. In a short series, home-field advantage matters.After Arizonas Matt Koch held the Nationals without a hit through five innings of his first major league start, Rendon hit his 19th home run of the season, depositing a fastball from Randall Delgado (4-2) into the visiting bullpen in left-center field. That set off Baker and Scherzers emotional celebration and earned Rendon a curtain call from the crowd of 24,297.It was pretty cool, said Rendon, whose home run was his 500th career hit. Its definitely humbling, too. It doesnt happen too often, so enjoy it.Rendon stepped up with power in the Nationals first game without all-star catcher Wilson Ramos, out for the rest of the season and playoffs after tearing the ACL in his right knee Monday. Backup catcher Jose Lobaton also contributed at the plate like Baker needs him to, and Rendon supplied the big hit at the start of what the manager referred to as hero time with so much at stake.With Ramos out, reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper still not ready to return from a thumb injury and Daniel Murphy out with a strained glute, Rendon is needed more than ever and he delivered.Hes a guy that can hit second, third, fourth, fifth depending on who we have out there, Baker said. Hes virtually unfazed by almost any situation. You cant tell when hes excited and that helps him at the plate.KOCH COMES THROUGHKoch impressed manager Chip Hale by being so aggressive and effective in his first start after five relief appearances. Lobatons single in the sixth ended the no-hit bid, but the 25-year-old probably wouldnt have been able to go much longer with a pitch limit around 75.The right-hander finished with 69 pitches, 47 for strikes.This was a guy who has already shown in the relief appearance that we gave him that hes not afraid and he goes right at guys, Hale said.TRAINERS ROOMDiamondbacks: Hale said RHP Rubby De La Rosa successfully had stem cell injections in his elbow. De La Rosa is trying the stem cell procedure in an attempt to avoid a second Tommy John surgery.Nationals: LHP Sammy Solis threw a perfect seventh inning in his first appearance since Aug. 15 after a stint on the DL with shoulder inflammation.UP NEXTLHP Gio Gonzalez (11-10, 4.51 ERA) starts the third of the four-game series for the Nationals against Diamondbacks RHP Shelby Miller (2-12, 6.47). Cheap Anaheim Ducks Jerseys . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. Cheap Ducks Jerseys Authentic . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. http://www.cheapducksjerseys.com/ . John Lucas, signed as a mentor for rookie Trey Burke, showed he can score if required, scoring 12 points of his 16 points in the second quarter as Utah built an 18-point lead. Cheap Ducks Jerseys China . PETERSBURG, Fla. Cheap Ducks Jerseys . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Chris Froome was the young British upstart at the London Olympics four years ago when compatriot Bradley Wiggins was fresh off his Tour de France triumph and targeting time trial gold.Now, it is Froome is trying to pull off the rare double.The reigning Olympic bronze medalist is coming off his third victory on the Champs-Elysees in four years, accomplished in part by his ability to race against the clock, and is one of the heavy hitters in the time trial on Wednesday at the Rio Games.I was really chuffed to get bronze four years ago. It was really important to me, Froome said, and to be able to medal here after the summer Ive had, it would just be incredible.The path to Olympic gold is significantly easier than it was for Froome in London.Wiggins has largely retired from road cycling and will instead chase gold with the mens pursuit squad on the track. Australian rival Richie Porte broke his scapula in Saturdays road race and will not start, and several contenders such as Nelson Oliveira of Portugal also crashed during the race.Perhaps the biggest roadblock to Froomes double is Tom Dumoulin of the Netherlands, who broke his wrist in the final week of the Tour de France. He jumped off the bike early during the road race so that he wouldnt aggravate the injury and has pronounced himself ready to compete.Other threats include Froomes trade teammate Vasil Kiryienka, the reigning world champion, and Taylor Phinney, the American rider who has spent the past six weeks preparing for the time trial.Like Dumoulin, Phinney also pulled out of the road race early.Ive been training really specifically for this course and the kind of effort Im going to need for Wednesday, he said. Theres guys coming off the Tour de France and people are motivated -- its the Olympics -- but I do feel confident and proud of the work and sacrifice that Ive put in.Before the menn tackle the course, which uses the same Grumari circuit featured in the road race, the women will take on a slightly shorter version of the same route.ddddddddddddAnna van der Breggen of the Netherlands will try to follow her road race title with another medal Wednesday, though teammate Ellen van Dijk may have the better chance at gold.Both will have to better two-time and reigning Olympic champion Kristin Armstrong.The American rider retired for the second time after her victory at the London Olympics, but she decided early this year to chase more gold. Her selection to the team was not without some controversy, though, after she eschewed racing internationally to spend more time with her family.Armstrong was picked despite facing the weaker competition, and two other American riders tried to replace her on the team through arbitration. Armstrongs spot was ultimately confirmed.The only (American) female athlete in an individual sport who has medaled three times in the same event is Bonnie Blair, Armstrong said of the speed skater. So yeah, if I were to pull off a third gold then that would be history. I mean, come on, Bonnie Blair.One of the big questions heading into the time trial is how much the brutal road races took out of the field. A few riders pulled out early but many others completed the course, the men logging 150 miles of hard riding and the women dealing with some wet, slick conditions.Froome was among those who said there should be ample time to recover.I actually think it is better to race hard on the Sunday and have some tension in my legs for the time trial, said world champion Linda Villumsen of New Zealand, who escaped injury in a fall of her own in the road race. Some prefer the other way round but I like this. ' ' '