Sports
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Rafael Devers makes the Nationals pay for intentionally running Tyler O'Neill in front of him
BOSTON (AP) — Rafael Devers hit an important two-run double within the eighth inning to provide the Boston Red Sox a 4-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.
Wearing alternating vivid yellow jerseys with powder blue lettering, numbers and caps, the Red Sox ended a three-game losing streak with only their second win in eight games.
“He was struggling with his swing and trying to stay on the field,” Red Sox manager said Alex Cora said von Devers. “Raffy against anyone, we’ll accept that.”
Devers hit his two-out double over the top of left fielder Eddie Rosario off Robert Garcia (0-2) after Tyler O'Neill intentionally walked.
Pinch-hitter Romy Gonzalez had a fielder's selection and was taking second on the identical play when shortstop CJ Abrams threw the ball into Boston's dugout on an error attempting to turn a double play. It looked like Gonzalez made the throw anyway.
“I thought that was the right matchup,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said of his lefty reliever against Devers, a left-handed hitter. “It was a good fight out there. He even fouled a few difficult shots, Raffy just got the best out of him today.”
Devers knew he hit the ball well enough to recover from Rosario, who turned and tried to pass the ball.
“I hit it really hard, so I knew something was going to happen,” Devers said through a team translator. “When I saw where he was playing, I knew he was playing a little short, so I knew something good was going to happen.”
Chris Martin (2-1) pitched a scoreless inning and Kenley Jansen got three outs for his sixth save, the 426th of his profession.
Wilyer Abreu hit a solo home run and Jarren Duran added an RBI double for Boston.
Rosario and Joey Meneses each hit a solo home run for the Nationals, with Meneses's his first of the season.
Meneses hit a 2-2 sweeper from Cooper Criswell over the Green Monster to provide the Nationals a 1-0 lead within the second period. As he rounded second base, he looked toward the Nats' dugout and spread his arms with an enormous smile on his face, a glance of relief that he had finally gotten his first hit.
“Yeah, he was happy,” Martinez said, smiling. “It’s good that the first time is behind us.”
Abreu tied it along with his shot into Washington's bullpen an inning later before Rosario hit a fly ball within the fifth that narrowly cleared the 37-foot monster, bouncing off the highest before racing toward the foul pole in left field .
Washington starter Jake Irvin allowed two runs on 4 hits and struck out six and not using a walk within the longest start of his two-year profession.
Duran's brace equalized within the fifth after David Hamilton's fielder's selection when he didn’t make a sacrifice, but he made up for it by stealing second.
Criswell pitched a career-best nine in five innings, allowing two runs – on solo home runs – and three hits with one walk.
Entering the day, Boston's starters had an MLB-best 2.39 ERA. Overall, the Red Sox staff had an ERA of two.78, the club's lowest mark at that time in a season since 1920.
TRAINING ROOM
Red Sox: Cora said right-hander Garrett Whitlock (strained left oblique) will make a rehab start for Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday.
NEXT
Nationals LHP MacKenzie Gore (2-3, 3.44 ERA) is scheduled to start out Sunday's series finale against RHP Brayan Bello (3-1, 3.04), who is anticipated to come back off the injured list and play for the primary time since March 19. starts in April. He has been out since affected by tension in his right lats.
image credit : www.boston.com