Red Sox 11, Nationals 4: Boston bats overwhelm Washington

WASHINGTON --- Interleague opponent or not, the Red Sox resumed their traditional roles on Tuesday at Nationals Park.

Starting pitcher Brian Johnson certainly made a contribution with the bat, but it was a few more typical names doing the bulk of the damage at the plate for Boston.

Eduardo Nunez and Xander Bogaerts each cracked three-run homers and J.D. Martinez returned to the lineup with a two-run shot and four RBI as the Red Sox pounded Washington, 11-4, on another [...]

WASHINGTON --- Interleague opponent or not, the Red Sox resumed their traditional roles on Tuesday at Nationals Park.

Starting pitcher Brian Johnson certainly made a contribution with the bat, but it was a few more typical names doing the bulk of the damage at the plate for Boston.

Eduardo Nunez and Xander Bogaerts each cracked three-run homers and J.D. Martinez returned to the lineup with a two-run shot and four RBI as the Red Sox pounded Washington, 11-4, on another steamy night in the nation’s capital.

Boston cracked 10 hits against Nationals’ starter Tanner Roark, with Bogaerts claiming a pair and three more coming from the cleanup spot split by Mitch Moreland and Steve Pearce. The Red Sox jumped to a second 3-0 lead in as many nights and weren’t forced to endure any white-knuckle moments in the late innings this time, positioning themselves for a sweep of the road trip’s second leg in Wednesday’s daytime finale.

“It was just a good day,” Martinez said. “We came out and we kept the bases occupied and we gave ourselves a chance to keep passing the baton and get the next guy up.”

Rick Porcello’s three-run double in the second inning paved the way for a 4-3 victory the previous night, and Boston again scored three times on one swing in the second barely 24 hours later. This time it was Nunez doing the honors, following a single by Moreland and a fielder’s choice by Rafael Devers with a bullet into the visiting bullpen in left.

“He got a pitch to hit and he hit it in the air,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “He moved well today at second base – that was good to see.”

Johnson’s one-out single to left in the fifth touched off a string where six straight Boston batters hit safely, blowing the game wide open. Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi and Martinez each followed with singles, making it 5-2, and Pearce earned his first Red Sox RBI on a lined single to right. That set the stage for Bogaerts to deliver the knockout blow, as the shortstop sent a drive to deep center that landed on the batter’s eye more than 420 feet away.

“The weather felt like Gainesville,” said Johnson, a two-way college standout at Florida. “It was awesome. It was a cool experience.”

“It started off with (Johnson),” Cora said. “He put a good swing, goes the other way, and they follow suit.”

Martinez hit one even further in the top of the ninth, padding his lead atop the big league home run ranks. He sent a 440-foot rocket over the Boston bullpen in left, one that settled halfway up the stands in front of the ballpark’s primary entry plaza.

“I haven’t been swinging it the last couple games, but I finally hit the ball a little bit better today,” Martinez said. “Just trying to keep it going and get ready for tomorrow and whoever is pitching tomorrow.”

The Nationals ran up Johnson’s pitch count thanks to eight hits in 4 2/3 innings, including a pair of RBI singles by Mark Reynolds and Roark in the fourth. The left-hander came within one out of earning the victory before being removed in favor of Heath Hembree, who struck out Michael A. Taylor to leave the bases loaded in the fifth. Solo home runs by Pedro Severino in the sixth and Brian Goodwin in the ninth did little to dent the Red Sox margin.

“He understands,” Cora said. “He gave us a chance to win and he’ll be ready for the next one.”

“I knew my role right when I made the club,” Johnson said. “Whenever I was going to get the chance to start, I’ve got to take advantage of it. Whenever I go to the bullpen I’ve got to be willing to eat up some innings and do what I can. It’s exciting.”

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On Twitter: @BillKoch25