Dark Horse Tavern » two starts and has nine starts this season all

Boston’s big hitters have consistently done the job this year Shareef Miller Jersey , helping the Red Sox post the best record in the majors.

It’s been a very different story for the Washington Nationals, and that’s been abundantly clear through the first two games of their interleague series.

Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run homer during a six-run fifth inning, J.D. Martinez and Eduardo Nunez also went deep, and Boston beat Washington 11-4 in sweltering conditions Tuesday.

”A lot of guys stepped up,” Bogaerts said. ”The weather’s not the best. It’s hot. It’s better than cold. A lot of guys swung at good pitches and had good at-bats.”

Martinez drove in four and leads the majors with 26 homers and 71 RBIs. Boston has won 17 of its last 19 interleague games, including 11 of its last 12.

Washington has lost four straight and 16 of 21 to fall to 42-42, its first time at .500 since it was 17-17.

”It’s hard to play from behind,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. ”Our starting pitching right now is not giving the offense a chance. When we do try and make a run and come back, we got to have shutout innings. It’s not happening.”

Red Sox starter Brian Johnson allowed two runs in 4 2/3 innings. Brandon Workman (1-0) pitched a perfect seventh.

Boston scored first, opening the second with consecutive singles before Nunez homered into the left field bullpen off starter Tanner Roark (3-10). Mark Reynolds and Roark had RBI singles in the fourth to pull the Nationals within 3-2.

The Red Sox responded in the fifth, collecting five consecutive singles before Bogaerts ripped Roark’s fastball to center to make it 9-2.

”We did a good job today against Roark Devin Bush Jersey ,” Nunez said. ”I think he made a lot of mistakes up with the sinker and we took advantage.”

Brian Goodwin and Pedro Severino hit solo homers for Washington.

Roark allowed a career-high nine runs in seven innings and is 1-8 with a 5.19 ERA in 12 appearances (11 starts) since May 5.

”Other than two pitches I feel like they just base hit me to death, so what are you going to do?” Roark said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: 1B Mitch Moreland left in the third inning with back spasms and is day to day. ”I wasn’t planning on playing him tomorrow, so definitely he won’t play tomorrow now,” manager Alex Cora said. … LHP Drew Pomeranz (biceps tendinitis) allowed five runs in 2 2/3 innings Monday for Triple-A Pawtucket in his first rehab appearance since Boston placed him on the disabled list June 5. … 2B Dustin Pedroia (left knee inflammation) is likely to remain in New York all week for further testing.

Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (shoulder inflammation) threw about 60 pitches Tuesday. Martinez said Strasburg’s next step could be a simulated game sometime this weekend. … Martinez said 1B Ryan Zimmerman (right oblique strain) could begin a rehab assignment this weekend. Zimmerman has not played since May 9.

ROSTER MOVE COMING

Cora said Boston will activate RHP Tyler Thornburg (shoulder surgery) on Wednesday. Thornburg was acquired from Milwaukee in December 2016 but has not pitched in the majors since. The Red Sox intend to send RHP William Cuevas to the minors. Cuevas allowed a run in two innings Tuesday in his first appearance with Boston this season.

NATS SIGN TOP PICK

Washington signed first-round pick Mason Denaburg on Tuesday. The right-hander was selected No. 27 overall out of Merritt Island High School in Florida in last month’s draft.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (9-3, 4.11 ERA) faces Washington for the first time as the three-game interleague series concludes.

Nationals: RHP Erick Fedde (1-3, 6.00) is coming off his first career victory and gets the nod for Washington’s annual Independence Day morning start.

—

Boston’s offense showed why it is one of the best in baseball.

Rafael Devers, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Xander Bogaerts all homered and the Boston Red Sox routed the Seattle Mariners 9-3 on Sunday.

”Today we did an outstanding job finishing the game and we got the W,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. ”We are a good team. We know how to play the game and we turn the page really quick.”

Devers’ 11th homer of the season capped a five-run, two-out rally in the third against Seattle starter Mike Leake (7-4).

”They were making it tough today,” Leake said. ”They weren’t giving me any breaks today.”

Andrew Benintendi and Bogaerts began Boston’s rally with a pair of singles. J.D. Martinez drew a nine pitch walk to load the bases before Mitch Moreland drove in two with a single to centerfield http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-diontae-johnson-jersey , his first hit of the series, and Devers followed with a blast off the Hit It Here Cafe in right field to give Boston a 5-0 lead.

”Anytime you can put up a five spot in the inning, you are happy with it,” Moreland said. ”That was a good inning for us.”

The Red Sox pulled away in the seventh against right-handed reliever Chasen Bradford, who gave up three runs and two homers while getting two outs.

Bradley Jr. sent Bradford’s first pitch over the centerfield wall for his fourth home run this season. Benintendi hit his third single of the game with one out before Bogaerts put Boston ahead 8-2 with a shot into the bullpen in left centerfield, his 12th of the season and fourth of the series.

Facing left-hander Roenis Elias in the eighth, Benintendi extended Boston’s lead to 9-2 with a sacrifice fly to center.

The Red Sox have hit three or more home runs 10 times this season, and are 36-7 when scoring five or more runs.

Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez picked up his sixth straight win in as many starts, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out nine. Rodriguez (9-1) has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his starts during his winning streak, and the Red Sox are 13-1 in Rodriguez’s starts this season.

”It was really good,” Rodriguez said of his start. ”All of my pitches were working. It was really great.”

The Mariners loaded the bases with no outs for the heart of their order against Rodriguez in the fifth Justin Layne Jersey , but managed just one run. Jean Segura cut Seattle’s deficit to 5-2 with a fielder’s choice, but Seattle’s rally was cut short following back-to-back fly outs from Mitch Haniger and Nelson Cruz.

”He had to work for it that fifth inning but he limited the damage,” Cora said. ”. He did a good job. Good fastball. He was more aggressive in the strike zone.”

Cruz hit his 17th home run of the season in the fourth, sending a 3-2 fastball from Martinez 442 feet in to the upper deck in left field to trim Seattle’s deficit to 5-1. Cruz has homered five times in his last nine games.

In the eighth, Ryon Healy doubled down the left field line, scoring Cruz to make it 9-3.

The Red Sox improved to 18-5 in series finales, and have won five straight day games on the road.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: RHP Nick Vincent (groin) is scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Tacoma on Monday, then make a rehab appearance with Double-A Arkansas on Wednesday before joining the Mariners during their three game series in Boston beginning Friday.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: Chris Sale (6-4, 2.75 ERA) takes the mound as the Red Sox continue their road trip against the Twins on Tuesday. Sale has allowed just one run in each of his last two starts and has nine starts this season allowing one or fewer earned runs.

Mariners: Marco Gonzales (7-3, 3.42) goes for his sixth win in as many starts when the Mariners begin a 10-game road trip against the Yankees on Tuesday. Gonzalez has allowed just six earned runs in his last six starts combined.