BOSTON (AP) — Rafael Devers hit a game-tying two-run double in the eighth inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Saturday.
Wearing bright yellow uniforms with powder blue lettering, numbers and caps, the Red Sox snapped a three-game losing streak with their second win in eight games.
“He's fighting his swing and trying to stay on the pitch,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Devers. “Raffey is up to anybody, we’ll take it.”
After an intentional walk by Tyler O'Neal, Devers hit a two-out double from Robert Garcia (0-2) over the head of left fielder Eddie Rosario.
Pinch hitter Romy Gonzalez reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second base on the same play, but shortstop CJ Abrams threw the ball into Boston's dugout on an error while trying to convert a double play. Either way, it looked like Gonzalez was going to win the throw.
“I thought it was the right matchup,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said of the left-handed relief pitcher facing the left-handed hitter Devers. The best of him today. ”
Devers knew he hit the ball hard enough to get past Rosario, who turned around and tried to play on the ball.
“I hit it so hard that I knew something was going to happen,” Devers said through the team's translator. “When I saw him play, 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 (426th of his career).
For Boston, Wylier Abreu hit a solo home run and Jalen Duran added an RBI double.
Rosario and Joey Meneses each hit solo home runs for the Nationals, with Meneses getting his first RBI of the season.
Meneses hit a 2-2 sweeper from Cooper Criswell off the Green Monster to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead in the second. As he rounded second base, he looked toward the Nats' dugout, smiled widely and spread his arms in relief that he had finally gotten his first hit.
“Yeah, he was happy,” Martinez said with a smile. “I'm glad I didn't get the first one out of the way.”
Abreu tied it one inning later with a shot into Washington's bullpen, but Rosario's fly ball in the fifth narrowly cleared a 37-foot monster, ricocheted over the top and into the left-field foul pole.
Washington starting pitcher Jake Irvin, in the longest start of his two-year career, allowed four hits, two runs, no walks and six strikeouts.
After reaching on a fielder's choice when David Hamilton missed a sacrifice hit, Duran's double tied the game in the fifth inning, but he made up for it with a stolen second base.
Criswell had a career-best nine strikeouts in five innings, allowed two runs on a solo home run, and allowed three hits with one walk.
Coming into this day, Boston's starting pitcher had an MLB-best ERA of 2.39. Overall, the Red Sox staff had a 2.78 ERA, the franchise's lowest at this point in the season since 1920.
trainer room
Red Sox: Cora announced that right-hander Garrett Whitlock (left oblique strain) will begin rehab at Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday.
next
Nationals LHP Mackenzie Gore (2-3, 3.44 ERA) is scheduled to start in the final game of Sunday's series against RHP Brayan Bello (3-1, 3.04 ERA), who was activated from injured reserve. He is expected to make his first starting appearance since April 19th. He has been sidelined since experiencing a right latissimus dorsi strain.
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