Red Sox Wrap: Walks Prove To Be Difference In Failed Comeback

The Boston Red Sox failed to secure another series win Thursday afternoon, falling to the Washington Nationals, 10-7, at Nationals Park.

The Sox fell to 63-58 on the season, while the Nats improved to 55-67.

Check out the full box score here.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
There is almost no world in which you can walk the No. 8 and No. 9 hitters to open an inning, and not have it come back to bite you.

Chris Sale found that out (as if he didn’t already know) the hard way Thursday, walking Alex Call and Jeter Downs to open up the fifth inning. Though he retired the next batter and exited the game with the score tied, those walks turned out to be disastrous for the Red Sox.

Josh Winckowski would enter for Sale and immediately gave up four consecutive hits to Washington batters. That would produce five runs for the Nationals, which was just the tip of the iceberg as they’d go on to put 10 total runs on the board by the seventh inning.

The Red Sox offense, after making Patrick Corbin (and his 4.85 ERA) look competent through six innings, tried to make things interesting with a six-run inning, but still ended up falling short due to Washington’s prior explosion.

STARS OF THE GAME
— Joey Meneses, a former Red Sox farm hand, was Washington’s main run producer. He finished 2-for-5 from the dish with five RBIs, scoring two runs of his own.

— Luis Urías was the Red Sox’s most consistent bat Thursday, crushing a grand slam for his first home run in a Boston uniform. He went 2-for-3 with four RBIs.

— Downs scored three runs for Washington, finishing 1-for-1 with a pair of walks.

WAGER WATCH
Urías smoked a grand slam in the seventh inning, and it could have made you a nice chunk of change, with DraftKings Sportsbook giving the newcomer +550 odds to hit one out. A $100 bet would have netted a $650 payout.

ON DECK AT NESN
The Red Sox will hop on a train (no, seriously) to the Bronx to begin a three-game set with the New York Yankees on Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET and will air on Apple TV+. NESN will broadcast the second game of the series on Saturday afternoon with full coverage beginning at 12:00 p.m. ET.