MIAMI -- If anybody thinks major league players don't watch the scoreboard to track other games, they are wrong.

Proof positive was provided by Max Scherzer after he led the Washington Nationals to an 8-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.

The first-place Nationals (89-63) snapped a four-game losing streak. With the second-place New York Mets (80-72) losing 4-3 to the Atlanta Braves, Washington tops the NL East by nine games with 10 games remaining.

Scherzer was asked about the Nationals going into this weekend thinking about clinching the division.

"That's the worst mentality you can possibly have," Scherzer said. "We know there are magic numbers. We just saw (Ender) Inciarte (of the Braves) make that game-winning catch. We are all a little happy about that.

"But we have to keep our blinders on. We can't worry about playoffs and all this other crap. If we take care of business ... we're going to be partying."

Wednesday wasn't a party for the Nationals, but they were surely please to end their little slump. Scherzer won his 18th game, and Ryan Zimmerman slugged a three-run homer to lead the way.

Scherzer (18-7) struck out eight and was working on a shutout until the seventh. That's when he gave up a solo homer to the upper deck in right field by Christian Yelich and a two-run pinch-hit blast by Derek Dietrich.

That was it for Scherzer, who allowed four hits, two walks and three runs in 6 2/3 innings. Washington used four relievers, including closer Mark Melancon, to secure the win. Melancon got the last three outs in a non-save situation.

Despite the sour ending to what was otherwise a strong outing for Scherzer, Washington manager Dusty Baker was happy with his ace.

"Max should be in strong consideration for the Cy Young (award)," Baker said.

Miami, meanwhile, made three errors and fell to 76-76.

Zimmerman's homer, which came in the fourth inning, was his 15th of the season. Teammate Trea Turner added a solo homer in the seventh, smashing the ball off the scoreboard on a down-the-line shot to left. It was the 12th homer of the year for the rookie.

Miami starter Tom Koehler (9-12) took the loss, allowing two hits, three walks and four runs, three earned, in four innings.

"That's a tough matchup for Tom," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of the Nationals against Koehler. "Their numbers off him -- that's a team that hits him well. Not just one guy or two -- they have four or five guys who hit him well.

"They are a veteran team. They are not going to chase as much."

Even so, Miami virtually handed Washington a run in the third inning. Danny Espinosa walked on a 3-2 count and advanced to second on Scherzer's sacrifice bunt.

Espinosa then scored when Miami made two errors on the same play -- Koehler threw a pickoff attempt into center field, and center fielder Yelich, trying to pick and throw to the plate, bobbled the ball.

Washington made it 4-0 with Zimmerman's two-out home run to left. He hit a hanging curveball from Koehler, who also allowed a single to Bryce Harper and a walk on a 3-2 pitch to Stephen Drew earlier in the inning.

"I tried to throw 'Zim' a curveball there -- I just didn't get it down enough," Koehler said. "I kind of had it in the right spot, but he was able to catch it out in front."

Scherzer started a rally in the fifth with a single to right. Trea Turner then hit a routine grounder to shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, who fielded it but flipped it over second baseman Dee Gordon's head for an error. Jayson Werth's single to left gave Washington a 5-0 lead.

The Nationals cruised from there, and Koehler blamed the loss on his poor start.

"You can't really afford to spot Max a 4-0 lead," Koehler said of Scherzer. "More times than not, he gets four runs, and he's not going to give it back."

NOTES: Nationals 2B Daniel Murphy (sore left leg) sat out his fourth straight start, although he has been used as a pinch hitter during this stretch. ... Nationals rookie OF Brian Goodwin, who got one of three hits against the Marlins on Tuesday, is a former Miami Dade College player. ... Marlins RHP Jose Fernandez is 7-0 with a 0.99 ERA in his career against Washington. With a minimum of 10 starts, no pitcher has completed a career with a sub-1.00 ERA against one team. ... In club history, the Marlins have won 10 times in which they hit a homer and prevailed 1-0, including Tuesday's game. The last three times the Marlins have done this, it has been against Washington. ... Up next, the Nationals have a weekend series at the Pittsburgh Pirates -- it's their final road trip of the regular season. ... Miami will play host to the Atlanta Braves for four games.