WASHINGTON (AP) — Trevor Story homered, and the Boston Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals with a 6-4 victory Sunday.
Left-hander Garrett Crochet (9-4) allowed two runs and struck out seven in five innings. He leads the majors with 151 strikeouts.
Ceddanne Rafaela ripped a ninth-inning solo homer as part of a three-hit game for the Red Sox (46-45), who have won six of eight and moved over .500 for the first time since they were 40-39 on June 22. Boston earned its first road sweep since July 2-4, 2024, at Miami.
Rookie Brady House had his first career three-hit game for the Nationals (37-53), who are a season-high 16 games under .500 after being swept for the fifth time. Washington stranded 15 men on base.
Boston scored four runs in the first against left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara, who made his major league debut.
Nate Eaton singled, stole second and scored on Roman Anthony’s single. Rob Refsnyder followed with an RBI double, and Story then blasted his 14th home run over the visitor’s bullpen in left-center.
Paul DeJong had a run-scoring double in the third and scored on House’s RBI single.
Jordan Hicks allowed Daylen Lile’s two-out RBI single in the ninth, but got pinch hitter CJ Abrams to fly out to secure his first save since being acquired in the trade that sent Rafael Devers to San Francisco.
Ogasawara (0-1) allowed four runs and seven hits and struck out two in 2 2/3 innings.
The game was delayed by rain for 17 minutes in the second inning.
Key moment
After walking Luis García to force in a run, Boston reliever Greg Weissert induced Alex Call’s pop out to end the seventh and preserve a 5-3 lead.
Key stat
Crochet is the fourth pitcher in Red Sox history with 150 strikeouts before the All-Star break, joining Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez and Chris Sale.
Up next
RHP Richard Fitts (0-3, 4.50 ERA) starts Monday as Boston returns home to begin a three-game series against Colorado.
Washington is off Monday. Nationals RHP Jake Irvin (7-3, 4.71) will start the opener of a three-game set Tuesday at St. Louis.
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