BSJ Game Report: Red Sox 4, Nationals 2 -- Sox ride two big swings to huge win

All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Nationals, complete with BSJ analysis and insight

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

Renfroe supplies the power: In the previous five losses, over the course of the last six games, the Red Sox hadn't scored more than three runs in any one defeat. And, when they were held off the scoreboard for the first five innings, it looked like it was going to be another one of those nights where runs would be scarce. But with one out and two on the sixth, Hunter Renfroe changed all of that, hammering a pitch into the left field seats for his 31st homer of the season. The Sox would add another run in the inning, but on this night, the three runs of support would be all the Sox would need and they came on Renfroe's swing. "We've been swinging the bat hit or miss the last few days,'' said Renfroe. "We were off with our timing. But we can back today with some (hunger) and got the win. (Josh Rogers) left a fastball over the middle part of the plate and I was able to get the barrel on it.''

Rodriguez provides five shutout innings: In what may have been the final regular-season start of his Red Sox career -- he's a free agent after the year -- Eduardo Rodriguez gave the Sox a very solid start, pitching into the sixth, when he allowed the first two hitters to reach and was lifted. Rodriguez threw 93 pitches and allowed five hits while walking three, including, wisely, Juan Soto twice. Rodriguez's season has been notoriously up-and-down, with strong outings followed by poor ones often, but he's finishing the season strong. Since the start of September, he's made six starts and allowed two earned runs or fewer in five of them. He was huge in extricating himself from a bases-loaded, no-out mess in the fourth without allowing so much as a run to cross the plate. Rodriguez said he wasn't giving much thought to the possibility that this could have been the last start he makes in a Sox uniform, noting that he'll start thinking of his pending free agency "after we win the World Series.'' If this was it, however, Rodriguez went out in style.

TURNING POINT

Rodriguez was in the midst of trying to work out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fourth in a scoreless game. He struck out Jordy Mercer for the first out and then retired Carter Kieboom on an infield popup. That left Andrew Stevenson, who hit a slow chopper to the right of the mound. Kike Hernandez was playing back nearly on the outfield grass and had to charge the ball in a hurry. He then flipped the ball to Bobby Dalbec at first, who stretched and scooped the ball out of the dirt for a bang-bang play at first, retiring the side. That was critical at a time when the Sox themselves hadn't yet produced a run.

TWO UP

J.D. Martinez: The veteran slugger has come alive in the last week. He had two more hard-hit singles Friday and also made an impressive throw to cut down Juan Soto attempting to go from first to third on a single.

Bobby Dalbec: It was only one swing, but it got the job done -- a solo homer immediately following Renfroe's three-run blast in the sixth.

ONE DOWN

Adam Ottavino: At a time when the Sox bullpen isn't at full strength, it's getting tougher for Cora to trust Ottavino. He was tagged by the Yankees over the weekend and allowed a solo homer a long ground-rule double in his inning of work.

QUOTE OF NOTE

"That's a Gold Glove play right there...that's something you don't see every day.'' Eduardo Rodriguez on the play made by Kike Hernandez in the fourth inning.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

* The Red Sox improved to 14-4 in interleague play this season.

* The Sox reached the 90-win plateau for the 13th time since 2002 and fourth time in the last six years.

* Ryan Brasier posted his seventh straight scoreless performance in relief.

* The homer by Hunter Renfroe was the 37th three-run homer for the team this year, tops in MLB.

UP NEXT

The Red Sox and Nationals meet again at 4:05 Saturday afternoon, with the Sox undecided on their starting pitcher and the Nats going with RHP Josiah Gray (2-2, 5.85)