WASHINGTON -- Max Scherzer won his fourth straight start and became the first Nationals pitcher in nearly 10 years to go at least seven innings in seven starts in a row.

But the Washington right-hander spent a lot time after the game talking about his baserunning and hitting prowess.

Scherzer (5-3) scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning as the Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 on Friday for their sixth straight win. The Nationals took a 2-1 lead as shortstop Ian Desmond had a double to score Scherzer, who had been on first base after his single.

"I was trying to put the ball in play with two strikes," Scherzer said of his hit. "Desi put a great swing on the ball. I tried to run the bases the right way. I tried to do everything I can to score that run. Stuff like that can help you win games."

Desmond had home runs in the previous two games and almost had a third to about the same spot with his run-scoring double. "He is working hard," Washington manager Matt Williams said of Desmond. "He is reaping the benefits of that hard work."

Scherzer gave up just one run on four hits with six strikeouts in eight innings. He has now beaten the Phillies three times this year with an ERA of 0.81 with 23 strikeouts and just three walks.

"He's a pretty good pitcher, I think," said Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg, when asked of his team's struggles against Scherzer. "He is probably the ace of their staff. We hit some balls hard off of him. He is top-notch."

The right-hander was lifted for pinch-hitter Tyler Moore in the eighth, and closer Drew Storen picked up his 13th save in the ninth despite giving up two singles. Storen fanned center fielder Odubel Herrera for the final out with runners on first and second.

Scherzer didn't seem to tire as he was throwing in the upper 90s on the stadium radar gun in the eighth inning. He threw 110 pitches on the night, with 79 for strikes.

Scherzer has now scored two runs this year and just seven in his big league career, which began in 2008 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He now has four hits in 22 at-bats this season after playing in the American League with the Detroit Tigers since 2010.

The first-place Nationals (25-17), who led the National League in runs scored, are 18-4 since April 28. The Phillies (18-26), on the middle leg of a three-city road trip, lost for just the fourth time in 11 games as starter Sean O'Sullivan (1-3) allowed two runs and five hits with one walk and three strikeouts in six innings before reliever Luis Garcia took over in the seventh.

"I thought it was one of his better outings," Sandberg said of O'Sullivan. "He would probably like that at-bat back to Scherzer. He pitched very well. It was definitely a quality start."

Chase Utley, the Phillies second baseman, had two hits as he continues to come back from a horrid start to the season at the plate. He led off the ninth with a single but was left stranded as Storen lowered his ERA to 0.98.

The Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI double by Herrera, who entered the game hitting .309 on the road. His smash to center scored third baseman Maikel Franco, who reached on a fielder's choice.

Washington tied the score in the last of the second as Bryce Harper lined an opposite-field homer to left to lead off the inning. It was the third homer in the first six at-bats against O'Sullivan this season for Harper, who also ripped his 11th homer in his past 14 games.

The shot just went over the fence and came on his first trip to the plate since Harper was ejected in the third inning of the previous game, at home Wednesday against the New York Yankees. It was the 16th home run of the year for Harper, who hit just 13 in 100 games last season.

"He is really aggressive," Sandberg said of Harper. "That pitch was away from him. He's in a groove."

Sandberg said it was an easy decision to give Harper an intentional walk with first base open and two outs later in the sixth to pitch to first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. "He is patient. He is setting up Zim," Williams said of Harper.

NOTES: Phillies LHP Cole Hamels (4-3, 3.24 ERA) will face Washington RHP Stephen Strasburg (3-4, 5.98) on Saturday. It will be the fifth time the San Diego natives have squared off. ... Washington RHP reliever Casey Janssen came off the disabled list before Friday's game. He began the year on the DL with right shoulder inflammation after he signed as a free agent with the Nationals on Feb. 2. To make room for Janssen, who pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays last year, rookie LHP Sammy Solis went on the 15-day disabled list with left shoulder inflammation. Janssen had 58 saves from 2011 to 2013 for the Blue Jays. ... The Phillies entered the three-game set against the Nationals having not won a road series since Sept. 15, 2014, going 0-8-1 during that span. ... Phillies 1B Ryan Howard had nine home runs and 19 RBIs in his previous 28 games.