(SportsNetwork.com) – Rick Porcello gets to introduce himself to the Boston
faithful on Monday as he takes the hill against the Washington Nationals in
the 104th home opener at Fenway Park.
Hopefully Porcello’s second start with the Red Sox goes better than his first.
Acquired from Detroit this past winter, Porcello absorbed the loss to
Philadelphia in his first start for Boston on Wednesday, as he allowed three
runs on six hits and two walks over six frames.
Boston was denied a sweep of the New York Yankees on Sunday, as New York
scored seven times in the first inning and handed the Red Sox a 14-4 defeat.
Hanley Ramirez hit a solo homer and finished with two RBI and Xander Bogaerts
drove in two runs for the Red Sox, who had a three-game winning streak
stopped. .
Clay Buchholz (1-1) gave up 10 runs — nine earned — on nine hits over 3 1/3
innings.
“I’m not going to let one start affect the way I feel about the year that
we’re going to have or how I feel,” said Buchholz.
Washington, meanwhile, has been one of the bigger disappoints in the league in
the early going, as it has dropped four of its first six games. The Nats,
though, avoided a three-game sweep in Philadelphia on Sunday, as Yunel Escobar
and Clint Robinson each scored during the 10th inning to lift Washington to a
4-3 win.
Wilson Ramos drove in two runs, Bryce Harper homered and Robinson finished
with three hits for the Nationals, who had dropped their previous five games
at Citizens Bank Park
Aaron Barrett (1-0) earned the win after striking out two in a scoreless
ninth, while starter Max Scherzer surrendered just one run on six hits and two
walks with eight strikeouts over six innings.
“It’s a big win for us,” Washington manager Matt Williams said. “Max pitched
really well again. It’s good for us to come through late.”
Washington will hand the ball to righty Jordan Zimmermann on Monday, as he
tries for his second win of the season. Zimmermann beat the New York Mets on
Wednesday, holding them to a run and five hits over six innings. He also
struck out four without walking a batter.
Zimmermann has faced the Red Sox twice and is 1-0 against them with a 2.57
ERA.
These teams haven’t met since 2012 when the Nationals swept a three-game set
at Fenway.
