All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Nationals, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Devers leads the way in comeback: It wasn't a one-man effort, but for a time Sunday afternoon, it seemed it. Every time the Red Sox needed a big hit, Rafael Devers stepped up to provide it. He led off the second with a single, though that didn't result in anything. In the fourth, he led off again and this time smoked a solo homer to straightaway center, his second homer in the last two games. In the seventh, with two on and one out, Devers came up and drilled a single up the middle, scoring one run and keeping the inning going as the Sox finally pulled even. Then, in the eighth, he cracked a monster shot to center again -- measured at 442 feet -- to put the Sox up by two. It was the kind of signature performance that can further burnish a player's reputation as a big game performer. Simply put, without Devers on Sunday, the Red Sox are getting ready to play a play-in game rather than getting a day off and preparing to host the wild card round on Tuesday.
Sale stumbles in big spot: The Red Sox had reason to feel good about the pitching advantage with Chris Sale set to start the final must-win game. That continued through the first inning when he struck out the side and looked overpowering.. But trouble was evident in the second when he allowed two doubles and a walk as the Nationals took a 1-0 lead. Then, in the third, he came unglued, filling the bases and then forcing in another run with a bases-loaded walk -- on four pitches, no less -- to Ryan Zimmerman. This was not the Sale the Sox wanted or expected in such a big spot. Alex Cora explained his wildness to some delivery issues that couldn't get fixed in real-time. If there's any consolation, Sale threw just 62 pitches and should be able to start Game 1 of the Division Series should the Sox advance past the wild card round.
Martinez injured, status uncertain: In a bizarre occurrence, J.D. Martinez suffered a sprained ankle while stepping on second base on his way to taking his position in right field in the bottom of the fifth inning. Martinez appeared to trip on the bag and immediately pulled up lame. After a few minutes of flexing and some jogging, he remained in the game. But when his spot came up in the top of the next inning, Jose Iglesias was sent to the plate as a pinch-hitter. Cora was uncertain about the seriousness of the injury or Martinez's availability for Tuesday's wild card game. That's a potentially big loss for the Sox, especially considering how well Martinez has performed for the last three weeks.
TURNING POINT
With Chris Sale having lost the strike zone and lifted after just 2.1 innings, the game seemed in imminent danger of getting away from the Red Sox in the third inning. But with the Nationals already leading 2-0 and the bases loaded and one out, Hirokazu Sawamura, who had only pitched once in the last nine days, came in and immediately got Jordy Mercer to hit into a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the inning and keep the game within reach in the early going.
TWO UP
Alex Verdugo: Although he was guilty of a boneheaded mistake on the bases, he had a huge two-run double to key a three-run seventh and added two others singles.
Garrett Whitlock: Fresh off the IL following a near two-week stint due to a pectoral strain, Whitlock was his dominant self in an inning of work, retiring the Nats in order with two strikeouts.
TWO DOWN
Garrett Ricahrds: Richards had been pretty effective out of the bullpen over the last seven weeks, but not on this day, allowing three runs in one inning of work.
Hunter Renfroe: Renfroe had three homers in the previous five days, but Sunday was not his day. He was 0-for-5 with two strikeout, making the final out of the inning three times and stranding five baserunners.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"It was a weird game. You're managing today You see what's going on in front of you and you're like....'This is not going our way.' You're staying in the present but you're thinking about the future.'' Alex Cora.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The save by Nick Pivetta was the second of his career and first since 2019.
* The three-game sweep on the road was the first for the Red Sox since June 4-6 against the Yankees.
* Eduardo Rodriguez recorded his first relief win of the season.
* The Sox finished the year 16-4 in interleague games.
UP NEXT: The American League wild card game against the New York Yankees will be held Tuesday night at Fenway at 8:08, with RHP Nathan Eovaldi (11-9, 3.75) vs. RHP Gerrit Cole (16-8, 3.23)