Nationals beat – James Woods hit a three-run homer for his 22nd of the season as the Washington Nationals defeated the Boston Red Sox 10-2 on Wednesday afternoon at steamy Fenway Park, snapping Boston’s momentum after a Yankees sweep.
When the ball finally cleared the Green Monster, the game’s temperature felt even higher.
On a 95-degree afternoon at Fenway Park. the Washington Nationals took command early and never looked back. beating the Boston Red Sox 10-2 on Wednesday to take the series. For Woods. it was another long ball—his three-run homer. his 22nd of the season. sending the Nationals out front 10-0 in the seventh after earlier damage had already stacked up.
Boston arrived at this matchup with momentum. The Red Sox closed a 5-2 homestand after sweeping a four-game series against the Yankees. But the Nationals rebounded from Monday’s series opener loss with the kind of performance that turns a schedule swing into a statement.
Woods’ homer landed just over the Green Monster, and the night had already been shaping itself in Washington’s favor. Andrés Chaparro hit a two-run home run in the first inning. and the Nationals later added a burst in the fourth when Nasim Nuñez sent another drive into the Monster seats off Payton Tolle (4-6). The scoring then ballooned during that five-run fourth.
Luis García Jr. delivered in a later moment, coming through with a pinch-hit, two-run single as Washington pressed its advantage.
Chaparro finished with his first home run of the season, while Nuñez logged his first, too. The Nationals weren’t done with the impact at the plate, and they kept forcing Boston to chase.
On the mound, Tolle couldn’t build on the rhythm that had carried him in his previous outing, when he retired the first 16 batters in a victory over the Yankees. This time, after the first wave of Washington swings, he was tagged for six runs and seven hits in three-plus innings.
Relief work followed. Andrew Alvarez (2-1) worked 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, allowing two hits after opener Brad Lord got the first seven outs.
Even before Wednesday’s outcome, there was heat in the story. The game carried no carryover from Tuesday, when Nationals starter Cade Cavalli yelled “Sit down, boy” at Boston’s Willson Contreras after striking him out. Cavalli apologized before the Wednesday game.
Wednesday still came with plenty of empty seats and a familiar Boston summer scene. In the lower bowl and bleacher seats in the sun, most were empty. By the eighth inning, a large “Tarps Off” group in right remained visible.
With the series decided, both teams are already pointing to the next stop. The Nationals have LHP Foster Griffin (8-2, 2.92 ERA) scheduled to start Friday when they open a three-game home series against Pittsburgh.
For Boston, LHP Jake Bennett (2-3, 3.27) is in line to start Friday’s series opener at the Los Angeles Angels against RHP Reid Detmers (3-5, 3.88).
Boston Red Sox Washington Nationals James Wood Fenway Park Andrés Chaparro Nasim Nuñez Cade Cavalli Willson Contreras Andrew Alvarez Payton Tolle Jake Bennett Foster Griffin