Red Sox 2, Nationals 6: How To Kill The Vibes

Wow, that was rough. Seven innings of getting thoroughly overpowered, a dramatic tying homer, only to blow it in equally bad fashion. I honestly don’t have much more to say about this one other than “where in the hell was the team other than at the ballpark tonight”? I’ll use as many sentences up here as the Sox had hits, to boot.

FanGraphs

Three Studs

Pablo Reyes

Can someone say clutch? Very apt he was written about today if he was the right choice to be the utility infielder left. What he did in the eighth speaks volumes to why he was the winner.

James Paxton

Giving up two homers isn’t awesome but if you do, they better be solo shots. He stayed strong otherwise, tossing six frames and keeping the Red Sox right in the thick of things.

No Third Stud

Honestly? There wasn’t anything else redeeming tonight.

Three Duds

The Bats Otherwise

Did the equipment truck forget to bring everyones bats and Pablo Reyes stole one to hit his homer? They look as weak as they ever have all season. Just brutal.

Garrett Whitlock

Giving up two homers isn’t awesome and when you do it after you’ve JUST tied the game up, giving up a three run shot and then a solo homer to really salt the game away for Washington? That just sucks. I’m honestly just as confused as to why he was used in that high-leverage situation so soon after coming back. Why no Chris Martin?

The Vibes

The roller coaster of a season continues and it’s miserable to see your fate in someone else's hands, basically praying the Mariners and Blue Jays lose on a consistent basis. Brings the mood in the room down.

Play of the Game

For the Red Sox, no question it’s Pablo Reyes’ game-tying homer in the eighth.