Red Sox Experience a Perfect 2015 Home Opener vs. Nationals Including a 9-4 Win

Even the most negative Red Sox fan (which are few and far between these days) would have a hard time complaining about anything that transpired on Monday afternoon at Fenway Park. Boston (5-2 overall) pounded Washington (2-5 overall, 1-3 away) 9-4 in the 2015 home opener that featured a moving pregame ceremony with my man Pete Frates and Jane Richards among others. Oh and did I mention that it was 70 degrees and sunny without a cloud in the blue sky? The fact that it was my first ever home opener made it extra special too, if I'm smart I should probably never attend another one since I doubt that this one can be topped.

Once the game started, Red Sox rookie center field and leadoff hitter Mookie Betts was the unquestioned star. He robbed Bryce Harper of a possible two-run homer in the first inning, roped a three-run homer (2nd of the season) over the Monster in the second (for a 4-0 Boston lead) and also stole two bases on one play then added an infield single that opened it up to 7-0. Rick Porcello (1-0) picked up his first career win for Boston with an eight-inning effort: four runs (three earned), on four hits with six strikeouts and a walk.

The Nationals have gotten plenty of hype but so far in the very early going of this season, I couldn't tell you why. For some reason, they played like they didn't want to be there. They dropped two pop-ups that would make average Little Leaguers weep. Jordan Zimmermann (1-1) was charged with eight runs (seven earned) in 2.1 disastrous innings. The only real offense that they could mount was a solo homer by Ryan Zimmerman in the fifth inning and Danny Espinosa's homer to right center.

As most expected, the Red Sox lineup looks dangerous and versatile. David Ortiz was 2 for 4 with solo homer and RBI single and Pablo Sandoval was 2 for 4 with a run. Xander Bogaerts continued to be on fire, going 2 for 3 with two runs, RBI and a walk. Finally, Sandy Leon was 3 for 4 with run and RBI against his former club that traded him to Boston a few weeks ago in Spring Training.

It wouldn't be part of the full Hanley Ramirez experience if we didn't worry about an injury barely a week into the regular season. He left in the sixth inning after fouling a ball right off his foot, ouch! We can only hope that it's not too serious since he's been known to miss weeks for numerous injuries in the past few years.

Tomorrow night's game is a weird start time (6:10, NESN) and it features Justin Masterson (1-0) making his return to Fenway vs. Stephen Strasburg (0-1) who hasn't looked right for years.

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Nationals Sweep Weekend Series Vs. Red Sox At Fenway Park

Now I'm not a betting man (wink, wink, nod, nod) but if I was, I'd say put some money on the Washington Nationals before everyone else in the gambling world does the same. They probably won't win a World Series in the next year or two but after seeing them up close this weekend in Boston (on TV), they have the look of a serious contender in the near future (Tampa Bay Rays style slew of young talent).

The Nationals (35-23, 17-13 away) left Fenway Park with a 4-3 win this afternoon against the going nowhere Red Sox (29-31, 14-19 home).

Washington swept the three-game series and as a result, they are still firmly in control of the powerful NL East. Conversely, Boston has fifth-place in the AL East locked down and it doesn't appear to be getting better anytime soon since all the other teams in the division are winning games-the key to not being in last place.

Boston has lost six of its last seven games to fall a season-high six games back of the Rays in the AL East.

It was tied 3-3 headed into the ninth inning but Alfredo Aceves (0-4) couldn't keep it that way. Roger Bernadina (2 hits, stolen base) drove in pinch hitter Bryce Harper with an RBI double. When will MLB managers learn that closers almost never have a clean inning when they don't come into a save situation?

Working in his third straight save-situation, Nationals closer Tyler Clippard had to throw 25 pitches but he still managed to close it out by striking out the side for his eighth save of the season.

The most impressive aspect about the three games for Washington is that they were all close and yet they found a way to win them all. They won by three runs on Friday night, two runs yesterday afternoon and two runs today. That points to three main winning ingredients: enough timely offense, solid outings and reliable bullpens.

Jordan Zimmermann got a no-decision but he had an acceptable start. He went seven innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Tom Gorzelanny (2-1) pitched a scoreless eighth to get the win.

Jon Lester had the same result as Zimmermann: nothing in the win-loss column. He was decent too after a poor beginning. Lester went seven innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits with a season-high nine strikeouts and two walks.

Washington took a 1-0 lead in the first on Ryan Zimmerman's groundout which scored Danny Espinosa (2 hits, 2 RBIs, run, walk, stolen base).

Boston tied it on Dustin Pedroia's fielder's choice in the third that scored Nick Punto. The Red Sox grabbed their only lead in the fourth on David Ortiz's (3 hits) solo homer (14th of the season) into Boston's bullpen.

Espinosa gave the Nationals a 3-2 lead in the seventh with a two-run double off the Monster that would have been a routine out in any other park.

Scott Podsednik's ground out in the seventh tied it as Ryan Sweeney scored.

Not for nothing but I'm going to say that with a healthy Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford in the lineup, the Red Sox wouldn't score nine total runs in three games at Fenway Park no matter who they were playing. When the Red Sox are right, it seems like they average about nine runs (slight exaggeration) at home especially when the weather is so great.

Interleague play (so far the Red Sox are 2-4 against their NL East counterparts) continues as Boston hits the road to face the Miami Marlins (31-29, 4th place NL East) at their stupid new stadium-Marlins Park. Fresh off a three-game sweep (take a number) at the hands of the Rays, the Marlins enter the series on a six-game losing streak which is double what the Red Sox are currently suffering through. After that, the Red Sox visit Wrigley Field for three games this weekend to take on the woeful Chicago Cubs led by former GM Theo Epstein.

Bobby Valentine got thrown out in the ninth inning today arguing balls and strikes but hopefully he's taking notes from the master-Ozzie Guillen-who also happens to be Miami's manager. Former Marlin Josh Beckett (4-6) faces Josh Johnson (3-4) tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN), Clay Buchholz (6-2) gets Mark Buehrle (5-6) Tuesday night (7:10 p.m., NESN) and Felix Doubront (6-3) opposes Ricky Nolasco (6-4) in the series finale on Wednesday night (7:10 p.m., NESN).

National League rules will be in effect meaning no DH in the lineup and the pitchers have to hit, so Valentine will need to find a way to get Ortiz plenty of at bats since he's been by far the team's best hitter so far this season. Sit Adrian Gonzalez instead who hasn't done anything.

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So The Washington Nationals Look Legit

Welcome to Major League Baseball in 2012, where the Washington Nationals look like one of the top teams in the National League while the Boston Red Sox are stuck squarely in the middle of the pack of the American League.

Washington (33-23, 15-13 away) opened its Interleague series at Fenway Park tonight with a bang as they beat the Red Sox (29-29, 14-17 home) 7-4, for their first ever win in Boston since the franchise moved from Montreal.

The Nationals two young superstars-Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper-lived up to their billing. Strasburg (7-1) struck out 13 in only six innings and Harper fell a triple shy of a cycle with three RBIs and two runs scored.

Felix Doubront (6-3) picked a bad night to have his worst outing of the season since he needed to be on top of his game to hope to hang with Strasburg (2 earned runs, 4 hits, 2 walks). Doubront lasted four innings, allowing six earned runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

Washington was up 7-2 before Adrian Gonzalez hit a solo homer, his fifth of the season and 200th of his career, to straightaway center in the eighth and Daniel Nava (2 hits) had an RBI double in the ninth. Nationals closer Tyler Clippard came on for the final two outs, which he nailed down easily (8 pitches) for his sixth save of the season.

Mike Aviles actually gave Boston a 2-0 lead in the second with a two-run double. Strasburg settled down after that and conversely, Doubront unraveled.

Ryan Zimmerman (2 hits) got the Nationals rally started with an RBI single in the third. Ian Desmond (2 hits) followed later that inning with a two-run double. Washington broke it open with three runs in the fourth inning. Danny Espinosa (2 hits, 2 runs, walk, stolen base) had a two-run ground-rule double to right and Harper crushed a two-run bomb to center (425 feet, his 6th of the season).

Harper added an RBI single in the sixth although he was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double.

Make sure you have plenty of drugs and alcohol (anything to numb the pain) on hand tomorrow afternoon (4:05 p.m., NESN) as Daisuke Matsuzaka makes his 2012 debut against former A's pitcher Gio Gonzalez (7-2). This might be a reverse lock but otherwise I see no possible way that the Red Sox win and/or Dice K makes it past the fifth inning. To make room for Dice on the roster, Marlon Byrd will be designated for assignment.

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