Rallying from a four-run deficit in the fifth inning, the Red Sox rode Rafael Devers to a 7-5 victory over the Washington Nationals, sending the Sox to the top wild card seed and a date with the New York Yankees Tuesday at Fenway Park.
Devers supplied a solo homer, a run-scoring single and a two-run homer to help clinch the win as the Sox completed a weekend sweep.
Chris Sale started and didn't have it, lifted after just 2.1 innings and charged with two runs, Garrett Richards then allowed three runs in the fifth, but thereafter, the Sox used four relievers who combined for four shutout innings.
WHO: Red Sox (91-70) vs. Washington Nationals (65-96)
WHEN: 3:05 p.m.
WHERE: Nationals Park
SERIES TO DATE: BOS 2-0
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Chris Sale (5-1, 2.90) vs. RHP Joan Adon (MLB debut)
TV/RADIO: NESN; 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Hernandez 2B
Schwarber 1B
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Martinez RF
Verdugo LF
Renfroe CF
Vazquez C
Sale P
NATIONALS
Thomas CF
Escobar SS
Soto RF
Bell RF
Zimmerman 1B
Mercer 2B
Avila C
Kieboom 3B
Adon P
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
T9: Devers, again. And the Red Sox have their first lead of the day.
B8: Pitching on a day's rest, Eduardo Rodriguez somehow retires the Nats on eight pitches.
T7: Verdugo slices a double to the alley in right-center, scoring both baserunners and the Sox have come back from down four to tie it.
T7: Rafael Devers, who's been the club's big bat this weekend, drives a run-scoring single up the middle to bring the Sox to within two.
T6: Sox get one base, but once more, miss out on chances, leaving the bases loaded as pinch-hitter Travis Shaw can't check his swing.
B5: Alex Avila slaps a two-run double into the RF corner and the Nats are up 5-1. it's getting away from the Red Sox.
T5: Red Sox have second-and-third with one out, and again, can't produce a hit for a run as both Kyle Schwarber and Xander Bogaerts retired on groundouts. Red Sox are 0-for-5 with RISP.
T4: Poor baserunning by Alex Verdugo, who gives some thought to trying to stretch a single, gets caught up in between, and tagged out. Can't afford those kind of mistakes with these stakes.
T4: Rafael Devers gets a sinker up and on the outer half and drives it out to center, cutting the lead in half. Second homer in as many games for Devers.
B3: Sale walks Ryan Zimmerman on four pitches, forcing in a run, and that's it for Sale, who is lifted after only 2.1 innings. Shocking turn of events. Hirokazu Sawamura on.
B3: It's the third inning and every out Sale has recorded has been via strikeout.
B3: Sale in trouble in the third, with a leadoff walk and a bloop single. Two on, no out, Juan Soto up.
B2: Jordy Mercer gets a changeup out over the plate and drives a double to the gap in left-center, scoring Josh Bell and the Nats take a 1-0 lead.
T2: Major squander for the Red Sox, who get two on and no out, but can't advance the runners, never mind score a run. Two strikeouts and a fielder's choice and the Sox come away empty-handed.
B1: Chris Sale looks sharp in the early going, fanning the side in the first.
WHAT'S UP: At 91-70 (.565), the Red Sox are tied with the Yankees for the AL’s top Wild Card spot, 1.0 game ahead of the Blue Jays and Mariners. The Sox are 3-1 in their last 4 games and 16-11 since 9/1. ....The Red Sox’ season will continue after today, either in a tiebreaker game (Game 163) or in the AL Wild Card Game... If the Red Sox win today, they will host the AL Wild Card Game, regardless of the Yankees’, Blue Jays’, and Mariners’ results...That Wild Card Game could take place Tuesday or Wednesday. At home, the Sox lead the majors in runs per game (5.8), AVG (.281), OBP (.350), and OPS (.831)...Their .605 win % at home ranks 6th in MLB; they are 39-21 (.650) in their last 60 home games. ....If the Red Sox lose today, their next step will depend on results from the NYY, SEA, and TOR game....In the event the Red Sox are part of a 3-team tie for either Wild Card spot, teams would be assigned A, B, and C designations...The Sox would choose their designation first because they won their season series against NYY (10-9), TOR (10-9), and SEA (4-3). If there is a 3-team tie for one Wild Card spot, Club A would host Club B on Monday...The winner of the game would then host Club C on Tuesday, with that winner earning a trip to the Wild Card Game. If there is a 3-team tie for two Wild Card spots, Club A would host Club B on Monday and the winner would be declared one Wild Card team...Club C would then host the loser of the A/B game on Tuesday, with that winner earning the 2nd Wild Card spot. ....In the event of a 4-way tie, two games would have to be played to determine the Wild Card teams...After clubs have been assigned their A, B, C and D designations, Club A would host Club B, and Club C would host Club D on Monday...The winners of those games would be declared the Wild Card teams. In the event of a 4-way tie, the team with the highest winning percentage in games among the tied teams chooses its designation first, followed by the club with the 2nd-highest win % and the club with the 3rdhighest win %...At 24-21 against the other 3 teams, the Red Sox would choose their designation first (TOR 22-22, NYY 22-23, SEA 9-11).....The Red Sox are looking to reach the Postseason for the 25th time (1st since 2018). 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). .....This is the Red Sox’ 13th time winning 90+ games under the current ownership group (since 2002), including the 4th time in the last 6 years. This is the 31st time in franchise history the Red Sox have won at least 91 games...They have won 92+ games 26 times. ....The Red Sox entered today with the AL’s largest increase in win % from 2020 (.400) to 2021 (.565). Boston’s .426 win % in 2012 (69-93) is the club’s lowest ever prior to a postseason campaign...Tanner Houck started yesterday’s game and threw 5.0 perfect innings (8 SO, 53 pitches)...The only other Red Sox pitcher ever to allow 0 baserunners over an entire outing of at least 5.0 innings is Cy Young in his 9.0-inning perfect game on 5/5/1904 vs. PHI (source: Elias). In their last 20 games (beginning 9/8), the Sox have posted a 3.29 ERA (65 ER/177.2 IP)...In that time, they rank 3rd in the AL and 7th in the majors in ERA. In that span, Sox starters have a 3.55 ERA (38 ER/96.1 IP) and relievers have a 2.99 ERA (27 ER/81.1 IP). TOUGH WITH TWO: All 5 of the Red Sox’ runs last night were scored with 2 outs...This season, the Sox rank 2nd in the majors in runs scored with 2 outs (331) behind TB (333). Rafael Devers’ 4th-inning HR yesterday came with 2 outs and 2 strikes...The Sox lead the majors in 2-strike XBH (204) and 2-strike RBI (327). With RISP & 2 outs, the Sox lead the AL in OPS (.824). ....The Red Sox have scored 28 runs in their last 8 games (3, 3, 3, 2, 6, 2, 4, 5)...They lead MLB in doubles (329) and XBH (569) and rank among the top 5 in runs per game (4th, 5.11), AVG (3rd, .260), SLG (2nd, .448), and OPS (3rd, .776)...They rank 7th in the majors in OBP (.328). The Sox rank T-9th in MLB with 217 HR...They have homered in 33 of their last 36 games; in that time (beginning 8/23), they rank 5th in MLB with 60 HR.
NOTES:
* Alex Cora: "It's a special day. We know what's at stake. The work you put in in the off-season, in spring training, and 161 games and try to get to this point...Obviously, we had bigger goals coming into the season, to win the division. That wasn't accomplished, but we have a chance to play in the playoffs in October and it's a special day. It's a great day. We're ready to go. Obviously, we know what's going on around the league. But the fact that we control our own destiny makes it a lot better. We know what we're supposed to do. Everybody's excited, everybody's ready and we're looking forward to a great day of baseball.''
* Cora said everybody except Nathan Eovaldi would be available out of the bullpen today. Eovaldi is the presumed start for either a play-in game or a wild card game.
* The Sox activated RHP Garrett Whitlock from the IL, and optioned Eduard Bazardo to Worcester. Whitlock has missed the last two weeks with a pectoral strain.
* The Nationals starter, Joan Doan, is making his debut, but he pitched against Worcester two weeks ago and the Sox have solicited input from their Triple A coaching staff in preparation. "We have plenty of information,'' said Cora. "But at the end of the day, the best information you have is when you're in the batter's box.''