Red Sox Wrap: Boston Drops First Game Of Series Vs. Nationals 10-2

The Red Sox began their long homestand on a sour note.

Boston dropped its opening game against the Washington Nationals 10-2 on Friday night at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox now have lost two straight.

Max Scherzer was brilliant on the mound, getting at least 10 strikeouts for the 97th time in his career. He finished with 11 K’s and didn’t walk a batter.

Martín Pérez looked strong through two, but the Nationals tagged him for five runs in the third.

With the loss, the Red Sox dropped to 10-22, while the Nationals climbed to 12-17.

Here’s how it all went down:

GAME IN A WORD
Bleh.

The offense just couldn’t get going against Scherzer, while the pitching struggled yet again.

ON THE BUMP
— Pérez began the game with 1-2-3 innings in the first and second, but ran into a bit of trouble in the third.

Trea Turner drove in two runs to make it 2-0 Nationals before Juan Soto doubled the lead with a two-run blast.

Washington went back-to-back when Howie Kendrick hit a solo home run for the 5-0 lead.

Pérez finally got out of the inning after five runs.

Washington made it 6-1 in the fourth when Turner was caught in a pickle trying to steal second for out No. 3. He stayed alive long enough to allow Victor Robles to score.

— Robert Stock took over in the fifth and pitched a clean inning.

The Nats opened up a six-run leader in the sixth when Michael Taylor singled sharply to Xander Bogaerts, who made a hell of a stab, but was seconds too late getting the ball to first. Kurt Suzuki crossed home and it was 7-1.

— Jeffrey Springs tossed a 1-2-3 seventh with a strikeout.

The left-hander returned for the eighth and didn’t have the same luck this time around.

Asdrubal Cabrera led the inning off with a single. Springs go the next two outs, but Josh Harrison made it 9-1 after a two-run home run.

A hit batter, single and double led to another Nationals run for the 10-1 lead.

IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox got a run back in the fourth with two outs when Alex Verdugo singled and was driven home with Rafael Devers’ 100th career double.

— The Red Sox’s best offensive inning came in the ninth.

They put their second run on the board in the ninth when Kevin Pillar singled in Kevin Plawecki to make it 10-2 before loading the bases with one out.

But nothing would come of it and the Red Sox dropped two straight.

— José Peraza led the way with two hits. All other members of the starting nine had one save for J.D. Martinez.

TWEET OF THE GAME
Never forget No. 42.

UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Nationals play Game 2 of their three-game set Saturday. First pitch from Fenway Park is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.