Washington Nationals drop 5-3 decision to Boston Red Sox; Rubber match tomorrow in Fenway...

Aníbal Sánchez gave up a three-run blast by Xander Bogaerts in the first, one run in the second, then after a three-run rally by the Nationals made it a one-run game after three, Kevin Pillar hit one over the Green Monster, and out of Fenway Park, to put the Red Sox ahead, 5-3.

That’s how it ended, with Boston evening things up in the three-game set with Washington, which wraps up with a rubber match tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 PM ET.

Sánchez vs the Sox: Aníbal Sánchez found something last time out before tonight holding the Marlins to a run on five hits in seven innings after struggling out of the gate in his 15th season in the majors.

Sánchez’s seven strong against the Fish left him with a 6.48 ERA, nine walks, 19 strikeouts, and a .318/.376/.579 in five starts and 25 IP this season.

His first start in Fenway Park since his initial appearance in the 108-year ballpark on May 18, 2014 as a member of the Detroit Tigers, got off to a rough start, with Alex Verdugo singling to start the first, taking third on a one-out double by J.D. Martinez, and scoring on a three-run home run to center by Xander Bogaerts, who jumped on a first-pitch fastball from the veteran starter and hit a no-doubter out for a 3-0 lead. No. 7 for Bogaerts.

Kevin Pillar tripled to center on a first-pitch fastball up in the zone outside and scored on a ground ball to first off Jackie Bradley, Jr.’s bat to make it 4-0 in the second.

It was 4-3 in the third, when Sánchez retired the Red Sox in order, but Pillar jacked an 0-1 fastball in the fourth, hitting a two-run blast over the Green Monster and out of the park, 5-3.

Sánchez stranded a one-out single in the fifth, striking out three batters in a 25-pitch frame which left him at 83 pitches overall.

Two pitches into the sixth, however, there was a runner on second, after a Bogaerts’ double, and Sánchez was done for the night...

Aníbal Sánchez’s Line: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 4 Ks, 2 HRs, 85 P, 55 S, 7/2 GO/FO.

Mazza vs the Nationals: Selected off waivers by the Red Sox from the Mets this past winter, right-hander Chris Mazza made his first big league start earlier this month, giving up eight hits and four earned runs in three innings of work against the Yankees.

That opportunity came after he tossed 2 ²⁄₃ scoreless against New York on August 1st.

His second big league start began an opposite field, ground-rule double to right field by Trea Turner, who went the other way with a 1-0 sinker outside that bounced off the track and into the stands, but three outs later (and after a walk to Howie Kendrick) Turner was stranded at second.

Turner doubled again, this time to left, to start the third, and scored on an error by Mazza on a Juan Soto grounder to the mound in the next at bat, 4-1, and Soto scored on an RBI single by first base by Howie Kendrick, 4-2.

Asdrúbal Cabrera walked in the next at bat, and Adam Eaton followed with an RBI single to center on a 2-2 slider down in the zone, bringing Kendrick in to make it a 4-3 game.

Mazza got the first out of the inning, 34 pitches into the inning, striking out Kurt Suzuki, but he was up to 75 pitches overall at that point, so the Red Sox went to the pen...

Chris Mazza’s Line: 2.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 Ks, 75 P, 46 S, 3/0 GO/FO.

Turn-On: Trea Turner extended his hit streak to 13 games with the first of his three hits in last night’s win, which left him 22 for 52 (.423 AVG), with five doubles, two triples, three home runs, 11 RBIs, four walks, two HBPs, and 16 runs scored over the course of his streak, and he also extended an on-base streak to 20-straight games over which he had a .460 OBP.

Turner extended both streaks early in tonight’s game with the Sox, with an opposite field, ground-rule double that bounced on the track and into the stands for his 9th two-base hit of the season.

BULLPEN ACTION: With two on and one out in the third, the Red Sox went to the pen for left-hander Darwinzon Hernandez, who got out No. 2 before walking Eric Thames to load the bases in front of Victor Robles, who K’d swinging to end the threat.

Phillips Valdéz came on for the Sox in the fourth and worked around Trea Turner’s third hit in three at bats, and a two-out walk to Asdrúbal Cabrera, for a scoreless frame.

Valdéz gave up a leadoff single by Kurt Suzuki in the top of the fifth, and Eric Thames took a one-out walk, before the Red Sox went to the pen again with two on and two out and Turner due up. Austin Brice came on for a righty vs righty matchup, and gave up Turner’s 4th hit of the game (4 for 4), but Suzuki tried to score from second on the play, and it wasn’t close. He got thrown out at home. Still 5-3 Red Sox.

Juan Soto reached on an infield single and Asdrúbal Cabrera walked to put two on with one out in the top of the sixth, but Adam Eaton grounded into an inning-ending 4-6-3.

Wander Suero came on in the sixth, with a runner on second and no one out, and got three outs without the runner scoring, still 5-3 Sox.

Josh Osich got two outs in the top of the seventh and Ryan Brasier recorded out No. 3 in a scoreless frame.

Will Harris retired the Sox in order in a 13-pitch, 10-strike bottom of the seventh.

Trea Turner was 5 for 5 on the night after singling to center to lead off the eighth, with Brasier back on the mound, but the Nats’ shortstop was stranded three outs later.

Kyle Finnegan worked around an infield single for a scoreless eighth.

Matt Barnes came on for the save and worked around a one-out walk to Kurt Suzuki to end it.

Final Score: 5-3 Red Sox

Nationals now 12-18