WASHINGTON — Instant reactions as the Red Sox (45-45) once again open up a big lead on the Nationals and cruise to an easy victory, this time by a 10-3 score Saturday:
1) The number seven has been as lucky as advertised for the Red Sox in recent days, as Boston has put together three separate seven-run innings since Monday (and two in the last two days). It’s the first time that has happened on back-to-back days since May 2019.
Saturday’s version (the third inning) against Washington lefty Mitchell Parker featured seven hits, including a two-run Jarren Duran triple and a two-run Ceddanne Rafaela homer. The Red Sox opened up a 9-0 lead for Walker Buehler very early.
2) Buehler probably needed to avoid a blow-up outing to avoid being kicked out of the Red Sox’ rotation. He did that in a rather uneven 5+ innings in which he allowed just three runs (two earned) but was still tagged for eight hits.
Buehler said Sunday he feels like he’s fighting for his spot in the big leagues after another bad outing that left him with a 10.38 ERA over six starts dating back to May 31. He kept that fight alive against a bad Nationals team by working around constant traffic. His day ended at 100 pitches in the sixth inning after Nathaniel Lowe led off with a rocket triple and Josh Bell singled him home.
Perhaps most notable for Buehler? He didn’t issue a single walk after issuing 17 free passes in 20 ⅓ June innings.
3) Rob Refsnyder is known as Boston’s resident lefty masher, but what Romy Gonzalez is doing against southpaws is special. He opened the scoring Saturday with an RBI double in the first after leadoff-man-for-the-day Nate Eaton reached on an error, then catalyzed the big third inning with another two-bagger.
Gonzalez, who entered the day with a .352 average and 1.074 OPS against lefties this year, finished the day with three hits (all off Parker).
4) Duran, who was dropped to seventh in the order against the lefty, had big contributions on both sides of the ball early. In the bottom of the second, with two men on and one out, Daylen Lile rocketed a liner into left (at 95 mph) but Duran ranged back and made a brilliant running catch to keep Buehler’s line intact and prevent an extra-base hit. A half-inning later, he turned around a Parker fastball and blasted a 110 mph triple that turned a 3-0 lead into a 5-0 lead.
Duran entered the game with a measly .572 OPS against lefties this year. That was his fourth triple off a southpaw.
5) Rafaela’s two-run blast (his 10th) and an RBI double came after the game had been decided. But the Red Sox continue to get big-time production out of the No. 9 spot and that has keyed the recent offensive turnaround.
Rafaela looked banged up on an attempt to catch a deep fly ball in center and then once again shaken up as he slipped and tumbled trying to stretch his double into a triple in the eighth. Alex Cora pulled him at that point, shifting Eaton from third to center (and installing Marcelo Mayer at third base). It’s unclear if Rafaela needed medical attention.
6) Washington is not a good team — and bad defense (three errors) helped the Red Sox. Only four of the nine runs charged to Parker were earned thanks to two defensive miscues (including one by the pitcher himself). Of course, the Red Sox had a play where they made two errors, too.
7) Roman Anthony’s strong offensive week continued with two singles, including an RBI knock in the third. Alex Cora said before the game that the Sox are at the point where they’re playing Anthony every day, regardless of who’s pitching. Suddenly, his OPS is up to .707 (it was at .505 just 10 days ago).
8) It’s important to reiterate how crucial this stretch of the schedule is. The Red Sox have six really winnable games in a row against the two worst teams in the National League (Washington and Colorado). They’d be smart to stack wins against them before a pre-deadline gauntlet of the Rays (4 games), Cubs, Phillies and Dodgers. So far, so good.
Boston is .500 again (crazy, we know!). It had been 10 games since the last time (40-40 on June 23). They’ve won four of five and five of seven.
9) As the Red Sox go for the sweep tomorrow, they’ll do so with their ace on the mound. Lefty Garrett Crochet (8-4, 2.34 ERA) will make his second-to-last start of the first half with first pitch scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET. The Nationals haven’t listed a starter yet.
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