The Boston Red Sox were in a strong position to secure a three-game winning streak against the Cincinnati Reds, leading 3-0 late in the game. Unfortunately, a late-inning collapse resulted in an 8-4 loss, allowing the Reds to avoid a series sweep.
After a day of rest, the Red Sox will now head to Washington, D.C., to begin a three-game series against the Nationals on Friday. The game is scheduled for 11:05 a.m., a nod to the traditional late-morning start for baseball games on the Fourth of July in the capital.
The Red Sox will come up against a Nationals team struggling at the bottom of the NL West and currently out of the wild card race. In their most recent outing, the Nationals secured an 11-7 victory over the Detroit Tigers. This win marked the 500th career victory for their manager, Dave Martinez.
For the series opener, Lucas Giolito will take the mound for the Red Sox, boasting a record of 4-1 and a 3.99 ERA. The Nationals will counter with Michael Soroka, who comes in with a 3-5 record and a 4.70 ERA.
Lineups for the game include notable players such as Jarren Duran and Trevor Story for the Red Sox, while the Nationals will rely on players like CJ Abrams and Josh Bell.
Some encouraging statistics for the Red Sox include Wilyer Abreu, who recently hit four home runs in his last five games, in stark contrast to just one in his previous 21 outings. Trevor Story has also been performing well, with a batting average of .474 over his last five games.
In a hopeful context, the Red Sox have an opportunity to turn the momentum around against the Nationals, and with several players hitting well, fans can remain optimistic for a strong performance in the upcoming series.