WASHINGTON — The Boston Red Sox will look to get a jump on the day and complete a sweep of the Washington Nationals Wednesday morning at Nationals Park.
The Nationals Youth Isaiah Oliver Jersey , hosting their traditional 11:05 a.m. July Fourth game, will try to avoid dropping their fifth straight game and falling below .500.
Boston (58-29) won for the seventh time in its last nine games Tuesday night, getting three-run homers from Eduardo Nunez and Xander Bogaerts, and a two-run shot from J.D. Martinez in an 11-4 rout.
The Red Sox took an early 3-0 lead on the Nunez homer in the second inning, pulled away with a six-run fifth and saw Martinez cap the offensive explosion in the ninth. Martinez drove in four runs, increasing his major league-leading RBI total to 71.
“Just a good day,” Martinez told mlb.com. “We came out, we kept the bases occupied, pretty much gave ourselves a chance where we kept passing the baton and getting the next guy up. Had a big hit from Bogey there early in the game, and everyone pretty much kept feeding off that.”
Washington (42-42) matched Boston’s hit total (12) but couldn’t string them together or produce them at crucial moments. The Nationals remained seven games behind Atlanta in the NL East.
Washington’s Tanner Roark (3-10) saw his June struggles bleed into July as he allowed nine runs on 10 hits in seven innings while preserving a tired bullpen. After the Nationals closed to within 3-2 in the fourth, Roark was tagged in the fifth.
“If these guys would give our lineup a chance, we’ll start winning some games because we are playing better,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told mlb.com regarding the big inning. “I see that. We came back and scored two runs, and the energy was great. We go back out there, and they come back and score six runs, and everything just goes dormant again.
“They didn’t quit, but here we go, scratching and clawing again, trying to get back in the game, and it’s tough. It’s tough for the boys.”
Washington’s hopes for salvaging the finale rest with right-hander Erick Fedde (1-3, 6.00 ERA), who is replacing injured Stephen Strasburg in the rotation. Fedde picked up a win in his previous start despite allowing five runs and eight hits in five innings of a 17-7 win over the Phillies on Friday.
“My stuff wasn’t great today,” he told MASN.com. “But days like those it’s really nice when your team puts up 17 runs. I’ll take that. Hopefully next time when the games are close, I can be the one to keep it close.”
Wednesday will be Fedde’s first career appearance against Boston.
Boston left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (9-3, 4.11) will try to snap a two-start slump Wednesday morning. Last time out he gave up five runs on seven hits — including two home runs — in six innings of an 8-1 loss to the Yankees on Friday. It was his second straight loss after winning six straight starts.
“I missed a couple pitches down the plate and they made an adjustment,” Rodriguez told the Boston Herald. “No matter who you face Youth Deadrin Senat Jersey , if you miss on the plate that’s what happens.”
Rodriguez has never faced the Nationals.
The Nationals may get some offensive help Wednesday with the possible return of first baseman Matt Adams (fractured finger), who went 0-for-3 in a rehab game Tuesday night for Double-A Harrisburg.
MILWAUKEE — Slowly but surely, Chase Anderson is reverting to the form that led to a breakout season a year ago.
The Milwaukee Brewers‘ right-hander returns to action Sunday afternoon to wrap up a three-game weekend series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Miller Park fresh off his best outing since opening day.
In Tuesday’s 4-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs, he allowed a hit and walked two in seven innings. He struck out six and earned his first win since May 21.
“It was Chase getting back to what we saw last year,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said “You could tell right away that his fastball, specifically, had a different gear tonight. Just by the hitters’ swings.”
Anderson went 12-4 with a 2.74 ERA in 25 starts a year ago, cementing his spot in Milwaukee’s rotation. Counsell tabbed the 30-year old to start the season opener and Anderson (5-5, 4.13 ERA this season) answered the call with six shutout innings against the San Diego Padres.
He’s been up and down since, posting a 5.03 ERA over 11 starts — with a two-week stint on the disabled list for illness mixed in — between Opening Day and Tuesday.
“My arm has been feeling pretty good overall,” Anderson said after facing Chicago. “Tonight, was the best I felt since I came back off the DL. It’s good to know that it’s still in the tank.”
Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola also comes into the game after a strong showing his last time out. Nola allowed one run and struck out 10 over 6 2/3 innings in Philadelphia’s 5-4 victory over the Rockies on Tuesday.
Nola (8-2, 2.27 ERA) is making a case to represent the Phillies in the All-Star Game next month, going 7-1 with a 2.30 ERA over his last 10 starts. He’s held opponents to a run or fewer in six of those outings and has allowed more than three runs once while striking out 75 batters with only 13 walks in 66 2/3 innings.
“He was exactly what we expected him to be, a guy who we can rely on,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. “He’s a special kind of competitor.”
The Phillies will attempt to win their second straight series after losing seven of eight games. Philadelphia evened the series with a 4-1 victory despite striking out 14 times, stranding a season-high 15 runners and going 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.
Rhys Hoskins hit a 431-foot homer and recorded three hits. He is 9-for-25 in seven games since returning from a broken jaw.
“Obviously, he set the tone with the big home run to left field,” Kapler said. “It is incredibly important for us to have him swinging the bat like he is.”
Milwaukee has scored at least 12 runs in three of its five meetings with the Phillies this season but has yet to face Nola, who’s 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA in four career starts against the Brewers. Nola also is 1-0 mark with a 2.08 ERA in two starts in Milwaukee.
Anderson, meanwhile, hasn’t enjoyed the same success facing Philadelphia. In four career starts, he’s 1-2 with a 5.85 ERA.
Sunday will mark Anderson’s first appearance against the Phillies since June 2, 2016 when he allowed a run on three hits while striking out six over 5 2/3 innings in a 4-1 Brewers victory at Citizens Bank Park.
A victory in the finale would give Milwaukee its third consecutive series victory and 15th of the season.