It was another day at the office for Max Scherzer.
Making his third appearance of the Toronto Blue Jays spring schedule on Saturday, Scherzer went 3.1 innings, allowing just one hit and punching out six Detroit Tigers batters.
The Blue Jays went on to win 5-0.
Scherzer threw 49 pitches, including 38 strikes, before giving way to Brendon Little in the fourth inning.
It was the most productive outing for the 40-year-old, who has been sharp in his three outings so far in spring training. Scherzer has a 2.08 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 8.2 innings of work.
Toronto also struggled offensively against Tigers starter and top pitching prospect Jackson Jobe, who went 3.2 innings allowing no runs on one hit while walking two batters and recording one strikeout on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The Blue Jays broke through in the fifth, however, pushing four runs across the plate against Tigers lefty Brant Hurter — three of them coming on Ernie Clement's second homer of the spring.
Bo Bichette picked up an RBI with a single in the sixth to build the Blue Jays' lead.
Scherzer set the tone for Toronto's pitchers, as Little, Jeff Hoffman, Eric Lauer and Richard Lovelady followed behind the three-time Cy Young winner with scoreless outings of their own.
Hoffman was credited with the win for pitching a scoreless fifth in which he allowed one hit and recorded one punchout.
In his first spring start, Scherzer recorded four strikeouts against the St. Louis Cardinals. He then went on to do the same against the Philadelphia Phillies, striking out four hitters through 3.2 innings.
Last season with the Texas Rangers, Scherzer threw 43.1 innings with a 3.95 ERA while dealing with multiple injuries.
