G88: Red Sox 3, Nationals 0

Red Sox   - 000 000 201 - 3  9  1
Nationals - 000 000 000 - 0  6  1

Only one Nationals runner advanced past first base against Eduardo Rodriguez (6-3-0-1-6, 84) and that happened because of an infield throwing error, not Rodriguez's doing. Jackie Bradley drove in two runs and Eduardo Nunez scored twice as the Red Sox swept the three-game series.

Washington starting pitcher Erick Fedde (1-2-0-0-0, 25) left the game with an apparent injury after a single by Rafael Devers, the leadoff batter in the second. Matt Grace took over, picked Devers off, and pitched four innings of one-hit ball. J.D. Martinez doubled with one out in the fourth, but did not advance.

In the bottom of the fifth, Pedro Severino dropped down a one-out bunt to third and went to second on Devers's error. Rodriguez got two fly outs to keep the game scoreless.

Ian Browne, MLB.com:

The lefty washed away the shakiness of his past two starts by holding off the Nats. He did it by bringing back his changeup, using it 26 times in 84 pitches. Rodriguez had become far too fastball-happy last time out when he threw 15 changeups in 95 pitches in a disappointing loss to the Yankees.

Asked Tuesday how he would rebound from his last start, Rodriguez offered this: "You'll see."

Steve Pearce stranded runners at first and third in the sixth (Mookie Betts and Martinez had singled), but the Red Sox broke through in the seventh. Devers opened the inning with a double to left-center off Ryan Madson and Nunez singled to right. Bradley's opposite field fly was caught by left fielder Adam Eaton with a sliding catch in foul territory. Devers tagged up, took off, hesitated, then kept going to the plate. He still scored, but may have bruised his right shoulder on his slide. (The Nats appealed the play, thinking Devers left early.)

Eaton was charged with an error because Nunez went to third. With two outs, Andrew Benintendi pinch-hit for Rodriguez. Madson's 3-2 pitch went to the backstop and Nunez scored easily. Betts flied to center to end the inning.

Matt Barnes allowed a one-out single in the seventh and Joe Kelly pitched a clean eighth. After Boston added another run - Nunez singled and scored on Bradley's double - Craig Kimbrel came in for the ninth. Anthony Rendon singled and, after Bryce Harper struck out, so did Daniel Murphy. With runners at first and second and the potential tying run at the plate, Kimbrel struck out Michael Taylor, getting three strikes after ball 1. Wilmer Difo popped up a 2-2 pitch that Christian Vazquez caught in foul territory, near the first base on-deck circle.

The Red Sox are off tomorrow and begin a three-game series in Kansas City on Friday night. Then they come back to Fenway Park for a seven-game homestand (three against the Rangers and four against the Blue Jays) before the All-Star break.

AL East: The Yankees beat Atlanta 6-2. The Red Sox remain 1 GA.

Eduardo Rodriguez / Erick Fedde

Betts, RF
Holt, SS
Martinez, LF
Pearce, 1B
Devers, 3B
Nunez, 2B
Bradley, CF
Vazquez, C
Rodriguez, P

AL East: ATL/MFY, 1 PM. The Red Sox are 1 GA.