Perez initially cruised in the top of the first inning as Trea Turner grounded out to short to start. Juan Soto grounded out to short as well and Howie Kendrick took strike three to end the inning. Scherzer dominated the bottom of the first as Alex Verdugo whiffed to start. Rafael Devers took strike three and JD Martinez flied out to center to end the inning.
Asdrubal Cabrera grounded out to second to start the top of the second before Kurt Suzuki flied out to right. Adam Eaton grounded out to second to end the inning. Xander Bogaerts singled to left to start the bottom of the second before Mitch Moreland got a base hit to right. Bogaerts moved to third on the Christian Vazquez fly out to right but Moreland was doubled off first on a bullet to Scherzer by Kevin Pillar to end the inning.
The floodgates opened in the top of the third as Josh Harrison singled to center to start. Harrison was forced at second by Michael A Taylor and Victor Robles doubled to left. Turner doubled to left to score both runners and Soto crushed a 56,000 foot home run to ice the game just like that. Kendrick put the exclamation point with a home run to Neptune to increase the lead. Cabrera grounded out to short but Suzuki doubled to left. Eaton lined out to left to end the inning but the Nationals iced it 5-0.
The Sox did manage to fight back a little in the bottom of the third although Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed to start. Jose Peraza went down swinging but Verdugo singled to center and Devers doubled him home to put Boston on the board. Martinez whiffed to end the inning but the Sox were down 5-1.
The Nationals were so offended by the Sox scoring a run, they took advantage of a blunder to score another run in the top of the fourth. Harrison lined out to center and Taylor grounded out to third but Robles singled to left and Turner singled him to third. The Nats caught the Sox in a double steal where Turner was out at second but Robles scored to increase the lead before the tag to end the inning with the Nats up 6-1. That was it for Perez who got hammered for 6 runs in just 4 innings, on par with the rest of the bums this year.
Bogaerts whiffed to begin the bottom of the fourth before Moreland also went down hacking. Vazquez singled to center and a wild pitch moved him to second, but Pillar swung at air to end the inning.
Robert Stock took over for the top of the fifth and Soto grounded out to short to start. Kendrick singled to center but Cabrera banged into a double play to end the inning. JBJ grounded out to second to start the bottom of the fifth but Peraza singled over the head of Harrison and took second on a wild pitch. Verdugo lined out to left and Devers whiffed to end the inning.
The Nats threatened in the top of the sixth as Suzuki singled to left to begin. Eaton walked but Harrison banged into a double play. Taylor grounded out to short to end the inning....but wait! Nationals Manager Dave Martinez challenged the play and Taylor was ruled safe, scoring Suzuki. Robles grounded into a force to end the inning with the Nats ahead 7-1.
Scherzer earned his tenth strikeout of the game when Martinez whiffed to begin the bottom of the sixth. Bogaerts took strike three and Moreland flied out to right to end the inning.
Jeffrey Springs took over for the top of the seventh and cruised. Turner popped up to second, Soto flied out to right and Kendrick whiffed to end the inning. Dave Martinez felt the game was well in hand and brought in Kyle Finnegan to pitch the bottom of the seventh. Vazquez lined out to right, Pillar popped up to second and JBJ whiffed to end the inning.
Springs got beat up in the top of the eighth as Cabrera singled to short to start. Suzuki flied out to center and Cabrera was forced at second by Eaton. Harrison then blasted a home run all the way to the Azores to increase the lead. Taylor was plunked, Robles singled to center and Turner doubled to right to score Taylor to wrap up the scoring. Soto grounded out to second to end the inning but the Nationals now led 10-1.
Ben Braymer took over on the mound with Eric Thames taking over for Kendrick and Wilmer Difo taking over for Turner for the bottom of the eighth. Peraza led off with a double to left but Verdugo lined out to center, Devers flied out to center and Martinez popped up to second to end the inning.
Josh Taylor took over on the mound with Tzu-Wei Lin in for Bogaerts and Kevin Plawecki in for Moreland to begin the top of the ninth. Thames doubled to center but Cabrera flied out to right. Suzuki walked but Eaton forced Suzuki at second. Harrison grounded into a force to end the inning. At least the Sox made it interesting briefly in the bottom of the ninth with Luis Garcia in for Cabrera. Lin walked to start and Plawecki singled to left, but Vazquez whiffed. Pillar singled home Lin and JBJ singled to center to load the bases. Ryne Harper came in to pitch and Peraza lined out to left. Verdugo popped up to short to end the game. The Nationals had creamed the Sox 10-2.
Jackass of the Night is Martin Perez. The offense wasn't going to do much with Scherzer but at least Perez could have gone long or not allow 6 runs.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3.
Tzu-Wei Lin walked and scored in his only at-bat.
Mitch Moreland was 1 for 3.
Kevin Plawecki singled in his only at bat.
Jose Peraza was 2 for 4.
Josh Taylor pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Jeffrey Springs allowed 3 runs in 2 innings of work.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but drove in a run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Kevin Pillar was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Robert Stock allowed a run in 2 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
Ho-hum yet another boring, lifeless loss in a season full of them. Its bad enough the offense got shut down by Scherzer but for Perez to get lit up was even more disheartening considering Perez has been consistent for most of the season. The good news for the Sox is there's only 28 games left in the season and the Luxury Tax resets on Monday. Not that it does this year's team any good, but here's what you're looking at going forward. Barring anymore trades, your rotation next year looks like Chris Sale, Eduardo Rodriguez, Nathan Eovaldi, Martin Perez and Nick Pivetta. The Sox refusal to bring up Jay Groome or Tanner Houk means they retain valuable service time and will certainly get a look next year to see if they got anything. Connor Seabold will get a chance to prove himself as well. Offensively the Sox core of Verdugo, Devers and Bogaerts are gonna need some help. Who knows if Andrew Benintendi will be right again and JD Martinez may opt out. In terms of the bullpen, apart from Darwinzon Hernandez, anyone can be replaced. Hernandez as a hard throwing lefty is very valuable but everyone else is too inconsistent to be slated as "must stay" Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes may come back, they may not. They may be good, they may not. Still, the point of the Sox going cheap next year is to spend wisely next year. Bloom can prove himself to be a good GM if he spends money on the right starter or the right bullpen arm. But that's all this coming off-season and theoretical. For all I know the Sox could trade Bogaerts before the deadline and piss everyone off. As for this game? The hell with it. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox lose to the Nationals again when Austin Voth shuts them down while someone Sox manager Ron Roenicke pulls out of a hat gets hammered for Boston. The carnage begins at 1:35 PM at Fenway Park.
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