October 3, 2021 – Red Sox 7, Nats 5

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/red-sox-vs- nationals/2021/10/03/632234#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=wrap,game=632234

 

Weather: 85 degrees, sunny

Wind: 4 mph, out to CF

Umpires: HP--Culbreth, 1B--Reyburn, 2B--Hoye, 3B--Cuzzi.

Time: 3:46

Attendance - 33,986

 

Three highlights:

#3 – Sixth-inning pinch-hitting appearance by fan favorite Gerardo “Baby Shark” Parra, possibly his final at bat as a Nat.

#2 – For the top of the ninth, Washington initially sent Alex Avila back out to catch, then put in Keibert Ruiz to replace him, so both teams could honor Avila as he played his final major league game. Avila wound things up in style, knocking in two runs with a two-out double in the fifth and guiding Washington starting pitcher Joan Adon through his major league debut.

#1 – An inning earlier, it had been Ryan Zimmerman’s turn to be honored, in what may or may not have been his final game. It had, of course, been his day from the beginning, as he got a standing ovation during the announcement of the starting lineup and an even bigger one on his first trip to the plate, as Boston catcher Christian Vazquez and home-plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth both slowed things down in order for the ovation to build.

 

Beyond all that, an actual baseball game happened, one which the Red Sox needed to win in order to guarantee their spot in the AL wild-card game. Ace pitcher Chris Sale recorded all of his outs via strikeout but otherwise struggled, giving up one run on a pair of doubles in the 2^nd and exiting with one out an inning later after walking Zim with the bases loaded. Washington increased its lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the 5^th, but went hitless the rest of the way off a parade of Boston relievers.

 

Meanwhile, Adon had an outstanding debut, pitching out of trouble a few times but getting through his first five innings allowing only a single run, on a Rafael Devers homer leading off the 4^th. He was lifted with one out in the 6^th after allowing consecutive singles, with one of the two inherited runners crossing the plate. Perhaps most impressively, he notched 9 strikeouts against a tough lineup, a number exceeded only by Stephen Strasburg among Washington pitchers making their first major-league appearances.

 

Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the combustible Washington bullpen was unable to hold the lead. Erick Fedde gave up three singles and a double in the top of the 7^th, allowing the visitors to tie the score. Andres Machado, to his credit, retired all four batters he faced, but Devers struck again in the 9^th, blasting a 2-run HR off Nats “Pitcher of the Year (as voted by local media)” Kyle Finnegan. Former Nats prospect Nick Pivetta made his first relief appearance of the season to retire the side in order in the bottom of the frame, with the final pitch of the home team’s disappointing season being a called third strike to Juan Soto.

 

While it was quite a hot day for October, the 3:05 start time meant that we were sitting in the shade the entire game. We had our pre-game lunch at Kruba Thai & Sushi and were somewhat surprised that it was delivery and take-out only, but we ordered and were able to eat on one of the tables they had outside. Well before the game began, the Nats had only two flavors of gelato – the salted caramel actually wasn’t bad – and I was able to pick up a Doolittle t-shirt on sale for ten bucks.