Eduardo Rodriguez pitched 5.0 scoreless innings, and Hunter Renfroe hit a game winning three-run homerun in the sixth inning Friday night as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Washington Nationals 4-2 at Nationals Park.
Both starting pitchers pitched well over the first five innings, before Boston finally got to Josh Rogers in the sixth. Xander Bogaerts led off with a single, and then with one out JD Martinez singled to left. Renfroe was up next and took a 2-2 offering deep over the wall in left centerfield to make it 3-0. Bobby Dalbec followed on the next pitch with a solo homer. The Nationals got their runs on solo homeruns by Alcides Escobar and Jordy Mercer in the seventh and eighth. Washington (65-95) threatened with two outs in the ninth against Hansel Robles as both Juan Soto and Josh Bell worked walks. Robles got the save though when he got Keibert Ruiz to fly out to Renfroe in right to end it. Dalbec became just the sixth rookie in Red Sox history to hit at least 25 homeruns in his first season, and the first since Nomar Garciaparra hit 30 in 1997.
Rodriguez (12-8) picked up the win on the mound allowing five hits, while walking three and striking out six. Ryan Brasier, Darwinzon Hernandez, and Adam Ottavino each got a hold and for Robles it was his 13th save. Martinez had two hits as Boston hit 90 wins in a season for the 13th time since 2002 (90-70). Escobar, Bell, and Ruiz had two hits each for Washington, and Rogers (2-2) took the loss allowing four runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings. Game two of the final regular season series is Saturday at 4:05 p.m. The Sox haven’t announced a starter yet, while the Nats are sending Josiah Gray (2-2, 5.85 ERA) to the hill.
