Nationals swept by Red Sox, five straight losses for Davey Martinez’s Nats after 3-0 loss in D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Forced to piece together their pitching when starter Erick Fedde left the mound with an undisclosed injury in the top of the second, the Washington Nationals kept Boston off the scoreboard through six, but back-to-back hits off reliever Ryan Madson, a sac fly in foul territory, and a wild pitch with a runner on third put the Red Sox ahead and they added a run in the ninth as the visitors swept the three-game set in D.C. this week with a 3-0 win in Nationals Park.

Fedde vs Sox: Winless in his first four starts this season, and seven starts in the majors, 2014 Nationals’ 1st Round pick Erick Fedde finally earned his first big league “W” in a rough start on the road in Citizens Bank Park last time out which saw him give up eight hits, three walks, and five runs in five innings, over which he threw 115 pitches.

Luckily for Fedde, the Nats put up 17 runs in that game. “My stuff wasn’t great today,” Fedde said, as quoted by MASN’s Mark Zuckerman, after the win, “... but days like those it’s really nice when your team puts up 17 runs. I’ll take that.

“Hopefully next time when the games are close, I can be the one to keep it close.”

Fedde was just 25 pitches into this morning’s matchup when he left the mound after a long visit with the Nationals’ pitching coach, team trainer, and manager Davey Martinez with an undisclosed injury...

More info when it’s available...

Erick Fedde’s Line: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 Ks, 25 P, 16, 3/0 GO/FO.

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Rodriguez vs the Nationals: Red Sox’ left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez had a solid six-start unbeaten streak snapped in a 7-2 loss to Seattle on June 23rd.

He gave up seven hits and four runs, two earned over four innings, and he gave up five runs on seven hits in six innings the next time out. But over that stretch of unbeaten outings, the lefty put up impressive numbers, with a 2.29 ERA and a .259/.298/.350 line against in 35 ¹⁄₂ innings on the mound.

This afternoon morning in the nation’s capital, he was taking on a Nationals’ roster that had a combined .236/.316/.378 line vs left-handers this season, which had them 20th/17th/23rd among major league teams.

Through four scoreless, Rodriguez was up to 63 pitches, with just two hits allowed, both of them by Trea Turner.

He stranded Pedro Severino after a one-out bunt single/E:5 put the Nationals’ catcher on second with no one out in the fifth, 78 pitches, and came back out with a six-pitch sixth...

Eduardo Rodriguez’s Line: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 Ks, 84 P 54 S, 4/3 GO/FO.

BULLPEN ACTION: After designating Tim Collins for assignment this morning so that the Nationals could bring Matt Adams off the DL, the Nats had to turn to the bullpen early as Erick Fedde left the mound just 25 pitches into his start.

Matt Grace took over on the hill and got two outs with nine pitches in the second before returning with a 13-pitch, 1-2-3 third that left him at 22 pitches total, and he got the Nats through five on 46 pitches without allowing a run.

Matt Grace’s Line: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 Ks, 46 P, 33 S, 6/0 GO/FO.

Brandon Kintzler took over in the top of the sixth and gave up a one-out single by Mookie Betts and a two-out single by J.D. Martinez but stranded both runners at the end of a 20-pitch frame.

Ryan Madson gave up a double to left-center on a 2-1 fastball to Rafael Devers that Michael A. Taylor just. could. not. reach. and a single to right by Eduardo Nunez that put runners on the corners with no one out in the seventh.

Jackie Bradley, Jr. popped out to foul territory in left field where Adam Eaton made a sliding catch, but his throw home was wide of the plate, and Devers scored to make it a 1-0 game while Nunez advanced to third on the throw, which was ruled an E:7.

Madson went to a 3-2 count with Red Sox’ pinch hitter Andrew Benintendi, but bounced a full-count change catcher Pedro Severino tried to backhand but couldn’t handle, allowing Nunez to score from third to make it 2-0 Sox.

Matt Barnes took the mound for the Red Sox in the seventh and worked around a single by Michael A. Taylor.

Shawn Kelley needed 12 pitches in a 1-2-3 top of the eighth. Joe Kelly threw a scoreless 15-pitch bottom of the inning.

Kelvin Herrera came out for work in the top of the ninth, and gave up a one-out single to left Rafael Devers and an RBI double to the right-center gap by Jackie Bradley, Jr., 3-0.

A walk and hit-by-pitch followed, loading the bases with two down, and Justin Miller took over for Herrera and got the final out at home on a swinging bunt.

Red Sox’ closer Craig Kimbrel came on for the save opportunity in the bottom of the inning, and gave up a leadoff single by Anthony Rendon, and a one-out single by Daniel Murphy.

Michael A. Taylor stepped in with two on and one out and went down swinging at a 97 mph 1-2 fastball and Wilmer Difo popped out to end it.

Ballgame.

Final Score: 3-0 Red Sox

Nationals now 42-43