PHILADELPHIA -- Either Washington Nationals starter Max Scherzer wasn't bothered by the weather, or he just flat-out didn't care.

Despite temperatures in the 40s and a stiff wind forcing many inside Citizens Bank Park to wear the knit hats the Philadelphia Phillies gave to fans, Scherzer took to the mound to make his season debut in short sleeves.

"I was good -- what's one thin layer really going to do?" he asked rhetorically. "I'm most comfortable throwing in short sleeves. If it's in the 30s, yeah, you might see the sleeves ... the fact that it was cold and windy, that's just part of the gig."

The defending Cy Young Award winner threw 6 2/3 strong innings in his 2017 debut and Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy each belted a two-run homer as the Nationals spoiled the Phillies' home opener with a 7-6 win on Friday.

Scherzer (1-0), who wasn't starting on Opening Day for the first time in the last three years due to a finger injury, looked like he hadn't missed a beat from 2016, which saw him win 20 games and his second career Cy Young Award.

The 32-year-old right-hander didn't allow a baserunner until Howie Kendrick's double with one out in the fourth, and retired the Phillies in order four of the first five innings before allowing multiple baserunners in the sixth and seventh frames.

Scherzer was pulled with two outs in the seventh after throwing 98 pitches, including back-to-back four-pitch walks to open up that frame. His final line saw him give up two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and those two walks.

"Max was dealing, and he got a hit too, which he's very proud of," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "We were trying to get him through that (seventh) inning but he lost control of the strike zone, started throwing high, that's not like Max to walk people."

Despite missing six weeks in the preseason with a stress fracture in his throwing ring finger, Scherzer insisted fatigue wasn't a factor in his fade.

"That's what's so weird, I was strong," he said. "I was really strong considering this was my first outing at 100 pitches, I felt great there in the seventh."

But Scherzer's bullpen nearly cost him. The Phillies (1-3) tacked on three runs in the seventh, getting an RBI double from Freddy Galvis and a two-run home run from right fielder Aaron Altherr, who had entered on a double-switch in the fifth inning. Both hits came off reliever Sammy Solis, with one run charged to Scherzer.

Washington reliever Blake Treinen gave up a two-run home run to Galvis in the ninth inning but still collected his third save in as many tries.

"I certainly wanted to win that game, but I'm certainly happy with how the guys battled back," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "To be down 7-0 with Scherzer pitching and for the guys to come back the way did, including against their closer, it's huge and a good omen for the things to come."

As a unit, the Nationals relievers gave up four earned runs, five hits and two walks in just 2 1/3 innings of work. In four games, Washington's bullpen has given up 10 runs in 11 1/3 innings (7.94 ERA).

"That would have been heartbreaking and devastating if we lost that game," Baker said, "(but) we won it. I've seen some weird stuff happen in this ballpark because you're never really safe with a lead here because the fences are so accessible."

Scherzer took the mound in the bottom of the first inning already spotted a 2-0 lead thanks to Harper, who sent a 3-2 changeup from Phillies starter Vince Velasquez (0-1) into the right-field seats. Murphy followed that in the third inning with a shot of his own over the wall in right-center.

Harper and Murphy each went 2-for-4 with two RBIs on the afternoon; seven other Nationals each collected one hit apiece.

Velasquez was done after four innings in which he threw 94 pitches (57 strikes), giving up four runs -- all earned -- and five hits while striking out 10 and walking three.

"I was all over the place," he said. "I had no grip and no command of my fastball at all. Yeah, I got 10 strikeouts today but it wasn't enough."

The Nationals (3-1) added three more runs against Philadelphia reliever Joely Rodriguez on one Jayson Werth swing in the fifth inning, as the former Phillie scored Harper and Murphy on a home run to left.

Scherzer finally gave up a run in the sixth inning when Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera singled in second baseman Cesar Hernandez, who had doubled with one out.

Herrera went 2-for-3 with two singles against Scherzer, the only batter in the Philadelphia lineup to pick up multiple hits off the starter.

NOTES: Saturday's matchup pits Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (0-0) against Jeremy Guthrie (0-0), who the Nationals will call up from Triple-A Syracuse to make the start. ... In his career, Harper is now 2-for-3 against Velasquez with a home run and three RBIs after going 1-for-1 with two walks and an RBI on April 26. ... Phillies pitchers combined to strike out the Nationals 17 times. ... Dating back to 2016, Scherzer has won his last nine regular-season decisions. He went 8-0 with a 3.34 ERA in his final 10 starts of the 2016 season, though he did take a loss in one of his two postseason starts. ... Altherr's home run was his first of the season and 10th career.