The Red Sox erupted for four runs with two outs in the top of the ninth to break open a 1-1 tie and slink away with a 5-3 victory to put themselves in the wild card driver's seat heading into the final game of the season. If the Red Sox win Sunday, they'll host the wild card game at Fenway Tuesday.
Christian Vazquez drove an opposite-field triple to right, scoring pinch-runner Jose Iglesias. Travis Shaw followed with a run-scoring single and Kike Hernandez pried it open with a two-run homer to left-center.
The eruption came after the Nationals scored the tying run in the bottom half of the eighth when Hunter Renfroe lost a flyball in the twilight, paving the way for a game-tying bases-loaded sacrifice fly from Juan Soto.
Rafael Devers has given the Sox a 1-0 lead in the fourth with his 36th homer, to back Tanner Houck, who retired all 15 hitters he faced before being lifted after just 53 pitches.
Andrew Stevenson cracked a two-run homer in the ninth to make things interesting.
WHO: Red Sox (90-70) vs. Washington Nationals (65-95)
WHEN: 4:05 p.m.
WHERE: Nationals Park
SERIES TO DATE: BOS 1-0
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Tanner Houck (1-5, 3.80) vs. RHP Josiah Gray (2-2, 5.85)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM, 93.7
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Hernandez 2B
Schwarber 1B
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Martinez RF
Verdugo LF
Renfroe CF
Vazquez C
Houck P
NATIONALS
Thomas CF
Escobar SS
Soto RF
Bell 1B
Ruiz C
Stevenson LF
Mercer 2B
Kiebook 3B
Gray P
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
T9: Still more breathing room as Kike Hernandez hits No. 20, upping the lead to 5-1.
T9: Quite simply. one of the biggest hits of the season for a Red Sox player -- a two-out, opposite-field triple by Christian Vazquez, scoring pinch-runner Jose Iglesias. A single to left by Travis Shaw brings in an insurance run.
B8: Davis gets Soto on a deep sac fly to center and Bell on a soft liner, but the game is tied heading to the ninth.
B8: Adam Ottavino loads the bases with a bloop double and two walks and now, Austin Davis has the pleasure of facing Juan Soto, with three on.
B7: Brasier slips a four-seamer at the bottom of the zone past Jordy Mercer for strike three, leaving the bases loaded.
B7: Schwarber's inexperience at first hurts there. Unsure of how to shovel that routine grounder to first and Andrew Stevenson is safe, loading the bases.
B6: There goes the (combined) perfect game -- pinch hitter Gerardo Parra slices a two-out opposite-field single to left to give the Nats their first baserunner of the game in the sixth.
T6: Houck was fantastic -- retired each one of the 15 hitters he faced and needed just 53 pitches. That 39 of them were strikes reveals how much command he had. Christian Arroyo pinch-hits.
B4: Houck has been perfect -- 12 up and 12 down -- with seven of the 12 outs coming via strikeout.
T4: Devers, who ended a threat in the first, makes up for it with a solo homer to right, his 36th, giving the Sox a 1-0 lead.
T3: Kike Hernandez drives one to the warning track, but it's hauled in by Lane Thomas for the final out. That's the first hard-hit ball off Josiah Gray since Kyle Scwarber doubled off the wall in the first.
B1: Strong first inning for Tanner Houck, who uses a sweeping slider to fan to righthanded hitters, then induces weak contact from Juan Soto.
T1: Red Sox have runners at the corners with one out, but Rafael Devers hits into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
WHAT'S UP: At 90-70 (.563), the Red Sox own the AL’s 2nd Wild Card spot, 1.0 game behind NYY and 1.0 game ahead of both SEA and TOR. The Sox are 2-1 in their last 3 games, on the heels of a 4-game losing streak...They are 15-11 since 9/1 and 35-34 since the All-Star break. ...The Red Sox would clinch a Postseason berth today if all of the following happen: 1) a win over the Nationals, 2) a SEA loss, and 3) a TOR loss. The Sox are looking to reach the Postseason for the first time since their 2018 World Series title season. In 20 seasons under the current ownership group (2002-present), the Sox have reached the Postseason 10 times (2003-05, ‘07-09, ‘13, ‘16-18)...Only 4 other franchises have reached the Posteason 10+ times in the last 20 years (ATL, LAD, NYY, STL). .....If today’s standings determined the Postseason field, the Red Sox would play the Yankees in the Wild Card Game in the Bronx on Tuesday, 10/5. The Red Sox won their 2021 season series against TOR (10-9), NYY (10-9), and SEA (4-3). ....The Red Sox earned their 90th win of the season last night...This is their 13th time winning 90+ games under the current ownership group (2002-present), including the 4th time in the last 6 years. .....Hansel Robles, who earned a save last night, has made 14 straight scoreless appearances...During that stretch (beginning 8/30), he has posted a 0.71 WHIP and held opponents to a .119 AVG (12.2 IP, 5-for-42, 4 BB, 16 SO). Ryan Brasier stranded both inherited runners in the 6th inning last night (1st and 2nd, 0 outs)...In his last 7 outings, he has allowed 0 runs in 6.2 IP with a 0.30 WHIP and .056 opponent AVG (1-for-18, 1 BB, 6 SO). .....The Red Sox entered today with the AL’s largest increase in win % from 2020 (.400) to 2021 (.563). Boston’s .426 win % in 2012 (69-93) is the club’s lowest ever prior to a postseason campaign...Hunter Renfroe broke a scoreless tie last night with a 3-run HR in the 6th inning...The Red Sox lead the majors with 37 three-run homers, their most in franchise history (source: Elias). The Sox have 40 HR with at least 2 runners on base (3 grand slams), 2nd-most in franchise history (41 in 2005). ....The Red Sox own MLB’s highest Interleague winning percentage of 2021 (14-4, .778) and of all time (277-184, .601). The Sox have won each of their 3 series in NL ballparks this season (2-0 at NYM, 2-1 at PHI, 2-0 at ATL)...In 24 plate appearances, Sox pitchers are 2-for-23 with 1 BB.... The Red Sox have scored 4 runs or fewer in 6 of their last 7 games (3, 3, 3, 2, 6, 2, 4), after scoring 6+ runs in each of their previous 7 games (8, 9, 7, 9, 8, 6, 12)...They still lead MLB in doubles (328) and XBH (565) and rank among the top 5 in runs per game (4th, 5.11), AVG (3rd, .261), SLG (2nd, .448), and OPS (3rd, .776). The Sox rank 9th in MLB with 215 HR...They have homered in 32 of their last 35 games; in that time (beginning 8/23), they rank T-4th in MLB with 58 HR. ....During his current 12-game hitting streak, Renfroe is batting .313 with a .999 OPS (15-for-48, 4 HR)...Since the All-Star break, he leads the Red Sox in HR (18), RBI (50), XBH (35), and runs (42). ...Red Sox outfielders lead MLB with 43 assists, their most in a season since 1987 (47). J.D. Martinez has 99 RBI...He would be the only AL player to record 100+ RBI in 2018, 2019, and 2021; the only NL player to do that is Nolan Arenado. The Sox are 22-3 this season when Martinez homers. ....Beginning 8/8, Bobby Dalbec has 14 HR and 38 RBI in 41 games...In that time, he leads the majors (min. 100 PA) in SLG (.738) while batting .302 with a .380 OBP and a 1.118 OPS (38-for-126). Dalbec leads AL rookies in SLG (.495) and is 3rd in HR (25) and RBI (78)...The only other Sox rookie in the last 50 years to hit 25+ HR is Nomar Garciaparra (30 in 1997).
NOTES:
* The Red Sox have yet to activate RHP Garrett Whitlock and Alex Cora said it was "50-50'' whether they would so Sunday. Whitlock has missed the last two weeks with a pectoral strain, though he threw a full bullpen Friday. "Obviously, we have to think about the team and the roster and all that stuff,'' said Cora, "and also his health. We'll see how he goes today and what he can given us tomorrow, if needed and we'll make a decision. The issue is bouncing back.''
* Josh Taylor remains in Boston after going on the IL with a lower back strain. He was expected to join the Sox in Washington this weekend, but the team decided to have him remain in Boston. "He's not progressing as we had hoped,'' said Cora, "so we have to be patient with him.''
* Adam Ottavino has allowed five homers in his last 10 appearances after going a calendar year without allowing a homer. "There's been some damage (against) the slider,'' Cora said. "It's staying on the same plain. His fastball is playing well, but the slider is the one, right now, isn't where he wants it. We'll keep working and we'll keep finding good matchups for him to help us. He's very important for us and that fastball is a good one. (The slider) has been inconsistent. He's still trying to get that release point where he wants it. But he'll find it.''
* Cora said the Sox will have both Nathan Eovaldi and Nick Pivetta available out of the bullpen, as it's all hands on deck for the pitching staff. "I texted them this morning and said, 'Spikes on,' '' said Cora. "That doesn't mean we're going to use them, but they'll have their spikes on.''
* Cora saluted Hansel Robles, who has not allowed a run in his last 14 outings. "He's been unreal,'' said Cora. "His fastball command has been amazing. We've used him early in the same, late. His stuff has played. He's made some adjustments, mechanically. The way he's throwing the ball now is the way he was throwing in 2019 with the Angels.''