BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela hit a two-run double to help the host Red Sox defeat the Washington Nationals 3-2 Sunday in the finale of a three-game series. Rafaela’s double was part of a three-run second inning. Boston won for the second straight day despite striking out 11 times against three Washington pitchers. The Sox took the series 2-games-to-one.
Boston’s Brayan Bello (4-1) was activated from the injured list and made his first start since April 19. He went on the IL with lat tightness five days after a win over Pittsburgh.
Bello gave up two runs on four hits in five innings. He walked two and recorded one strikeout.
Kenley Jansen allowed a hit in a scoreless ninth to earn his seventh save. The game ended when Red Sox catcher Connor Wong threw out Jacob Young attempting to steal second base.
Eddie Rosario hit a two-run home run for the Nationals. It was his second home run in as many days and his fifth of the season. CJ Abrams had two of Washington’s five hits, but the Nationals had five runners erased on the base paths.
Washington starter MacKenzie Gore (2-4) threw 111 pitches in six innings. He surrendered three runs (two earned) on six hits, struck out nine and walked two.
It was a rough day for Washington center fielder Victor Robles, who dropped a routine fly ball during Boston’s three-run second inning, and then ran into an out the following inning when he tried to take third when the base was occupied.
Rafaela hit a ground-rule double with the bases loaded that plated Garrett Cooper and Vaughn Grissom to make it 2-0 before Jarren Duran scored on Gore’s wild pitch to increase Boston’s lead to 3-0. Cooper collected two hits in the victory.
The Nationals trimmed their deficit to 3-2 in the fourth. Nick Senzel drew a two-out walk and scored on Rosario’s home run to right center.
–Field Level Media