Baseball-Nationals' Scherzer to miss Game Five start due to back spasms

Washington Nationals ace right-hander Max Scherzer has been scratched from his start in Sunday's Game Five of the World Series against the Houston Astros with back spasms, the Nationals said.

The best of seven series is tied 2-2.

Manager Dave Martinez said Scherzer, who beat the Astros with five solid innings in Game One in Houston, woke up with back and neck spasms on Saturday and on Sunday it "locked up". Right-hander Joe Ross will start in Scherzer's place against the Astros' Gerrit Cole.