All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 10-2 loss to the Nationals, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Perez blows up in the third: Martin Perez looked sharp over his first two innings of work, retiring the first six hitters he faced on the night with ease. But it turned quickly for the lefty in the third when he was hammered for two homers and three doubles in that inning, resulting in five runs. "I was throwing too many pitches in the zone,'' he said, "and I got behind in the count too much. I changed the way I had been pitching the first two innings.'' Perez also said he was bothered by a blister on the index finger of his left hand, impacting his ability to finish his breaking pitches. He seemed to settle down some by the fourth inning, but by then, the Nats had been staked to a 5-0 lead and Perez was already up to 82 pitches. Perez said he didn't think the blister would get in the way of his next start. Perez has been the Sox' most consistent starter -- for what that's worth -- but that wasn't the case Friday night.
Fundamental breakdown: As if things weren't bad enough, with the Sox already down 5-1 in the fourth inning, Xander Bogaerts made a poor decision that cost the Red Sox a run. With two outs and runners at the corners, the Nats pulled off a delayed double steal. Trea Turner, taking off from first, pulled up short of the second base bag when the throw came in, and began retreating to first. At the same time, Victor Robles broke from third. As Bogaerts spied Robles heading home, he made a decision to try to chase Turner. But that required a throw to Mitch Moreland at first and by the time Moreland put the tag on Turner, Robles had safely crossed the plate. Bogaerts would have been far better off throwing home immediately and nabbing Robles.
Eovaldi pushed back....again: Nathan Eovaldi, who had his scheduled start pushed back a few days ago when he suffered a pulled right calf muscle, was slated to go Sunday in the series finale. Eovaldi threw a bullpen late Friday afternoon, and while he was much improved over earlier in the week, could still feel some tightness in the area, so as a precaution, the Sox will push him back again, with no set date in place for his next start. "It was actually the best day he's had off the mound,'' said Ron Roenicke, "so we're going to push him back even further and make sure that he doesn't have any issues at all.'' With Eovaldi scrapped, Zack Godley will pitch the series finale Sunday.
TURNING POINT
Roenicke himself identified a key shift. He brought the infield in with runners at second and third and one out in the third in a scoreless ballgame, trying to keep the game there. But Trea Turner foiled the strategy when he hit a high chopper over the head of third baseman Rafael Devers, resulting in a two-run double. The Nationals were in the lead and never looked back.
ONE UP
Jose Peraza: Back at second base for the night, Peraza had a single in the fifth and a Wall double in the seventh. Peraza seems most comfortable hitting in the No. 9 spot.
TWO DOWN
J.D. Martinez: Martinez was again without a hit, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and is now in the midst of a length 0-for-16 hitless skid at the plate.
Jeffrey Springs: Fighting for a roster spot, Springs didn't do anything to help his cause when he was roughed up for three runs on four hits. in two innings of work.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"He just has so many weapons to get you out with. And when you get behind, he understands how to pitch with a lead.'' Ron Roenicke on Washington starter Max Scherzer, who limited the Red Sox to a run over six innings with 13 strikeouts.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Rafael Devers became the fourth player in Red Sox history to reach 100 career doubles before his 24th birthday, joining Ted Williams, joining Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr and Carl Yastrzemski -- all Hall of Famers.
- Mitch Moreland had a single in three trips and has now reached base in 15 straight games, the second-longest streak of his career.
- Alex Verdugo has scored at least one run in eight of his last nine games.