Boston right-hander Walker Buehler looks to put a horrid six-start stretch behind him when the Red Sox play the middle game of a three-game series against the host Washington Nationals on Saturday.
The Red Sox beat the Nationals 11-2 in Washington’s traditional Independence Day game.
Buehler (5-6, 6.45 ERA) is 1-4 with a 10.37 ERA in his past six outings. He allowed 38 hits and walked 19 batters while striking out 23 in 26 innings during that span. In his latest start, he allowed four runs on four hits — two of them home runs — in four innings during a 5-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.
On Saturday, Buehler could be pitching for his spot in the rotation.
“He’s scheduled to make his next (start),” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said earlier this week. “He’s healthy, eager to work and like I said … he feels like he’s getting close to finding it.”
Buehler is 2-1 with a 2.49 ERA in five career games (four starts) against Washington.
The Nationals will start Mitchell Parker (5-8, 4.63 ERA). The left-hander gave up three runs on six hits in five-plus innings of a no-decision against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday in his most recent start.
Parker has never faced the Red Sox.
Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story went 4-for-5 with a two-run homer, scored three runs and drove in four as Boston pounded out 16 hits on Friday for its fourth win in six games. The Red Sox snapped a five-game road losing streak.
Story tied his career high with four hits and extended his hitting streak to six games.
“Felt good. Kind of a tough 11 a.m. start, but just get the minimal routine (in) and just go compete,” Story said. “I think that was the main message. We have a chance to control our destiny here, so we got to set the tone here on the first game, and I think we did that today. Looking forward to the rest of the series.”
Boston’s Jarren Duran had two hits and three RBIs. Over his past five games, Duran is batting .300 (6-for-20) with a home run, four RBIs and five runs.
Washington trailed 2-0 entering the fifth, but Boston got to Nationals starter Michael Soroka and reliever Zach Brzykcy for seven runs. Soroka was lifted after Story’s base-loaded single made it 5-0.
“We had four guys down in our bullpen,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “We tried to stretch (Soroka) out as long as possible. We tried to have him get out of his own mess a little bit. But once he gave up that base hit with the bases loaded, I figured he was done.”
Daylen Lile extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a ninth-inning RBI double for Washington, which had won three of four. Lile is hitting .326 (14-for-43) during his streak.
Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz went 1-for-3 in his return from the injured list. He had been sidelined since getting hit in the head with a foul ball in the dugout and sustaining a concussion on June 24.
Washington placed starting pitcher Trevor Williams on the 15-day injured list due to a right elbow strain. Williams allowed seven runs on nine hits in three innings in a loss to the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.
–Field Level Media
