Kevin Pillar homered twice off Washington ace Max Scherzer, the second a three-run shot in the sixth that gave Toronto a 4-3 lead, and the Blue Jays went on to defeat the Nats, 7-3, to salvage a split of a day-night doubleheader Tuesday at Nationals Park.
Scherzer (6-4) had been cruising, allowing just the second-inning solo shot to Pillar into the sixth, and had two outs and nobody on in the sixth when he hit the wall. Danny Valencia doubled, Justin Smoak walked on a 3-2 pitch, and then Pillar homered on a hanging 1-1 slider to give the Jays the lead.
Scherzer took the loss, giving up four runs on six hits, striking out five and walking two.
Marco Estrada (2-3) got the win for Toronto, giving up three runs on six hits in six innings of work, striking out five and walking two.
Pillar’s homers were his third and fourth of the season.