5/10 Nationals at Red Sox 7:10 PM EDT

[vegasbob]

Houck vs Patrick Corbin LH'er, career #5 type pitcher. 0-3 in 2024 with 6.35 ERA and 1.81 WHIP. In his best year of his last 5 (2020 short season) his ERA was 4.66 with a 1.57 WHIP.

What I am saying here is that if the Sox lineup, at Fenway, cannot hit Corbin and score 4 or 5 runs in 5 innings, then there are serious issues with the bats.

Houck, we know well this year. Tanner needs another good 7 inning start, preferably a 1 or 2 runs given up to rack up a win. Facing an 18-18 Nats team with a team OPS of .679 , Tanner should prevail.

Projected lineup: Duran (LF)
Refsnyder (DH)
O'Neill (RF)
Devers (3B)
Wong (C)
Grissom (2B)
Cooper (1B)
R. Gonzalez (SS)
Rafaela (CF)

[vegasbob]

2nd inning, 2 outs, 3-2 on the batter---Nats start a 2 run rally with 3 consecutive hits, exceeding Houck's ERA early. Of course the Sox had their runner O'Neill erased at the plate.

[5GoldGloves:OF,75]

Another Washington run on a hit with an exit velo of a Ford Pinto. Before someone says the Sox are snakebit tonight, I would imagine a snakebite hurts. This Nats attack is more like a wormbite -- in the middle of the night when you're asleep -- that eats at you brain until the worm dies...

... because we all know Red Sox gray matter is ultimately toxic.

[Maxbialystock]

2nd inning, 2 outs, 3-2 on the batter---Nats start a 2 run rally with 3 consecutive hits, exceeding Houck's ERA early. Of course the Sox had their runner O'Neill erased at the plate.

With 2 outs, O'Neill should have gotten a good jump on the single to RF. But, if it was hit hard enough, you can still get him. I can't see anything because of course I'm 400 miles south in NC and therefore in blackout mode.

I'm sure Corbin is as bad as vegasbob says he is, but the Sox lineup right now is in the bottom 1/3 of MLB teams.

[5GoldGloves:OF,75]

With 2 outs, O'Neill should have gotten a good jump on the single to RF. But, if it was hit hard enough, you can still get him. I can't see anything because of course I'm 400 miles south in NC and therefore in blackout mode.

I'm sure Corbin is as bad as vegasbob says he is, but the Sox lineup right now is in the bottom 1/3 of MLB teams.

We were also saying the two-out approach is "scoring on contact" but the Sox are sending him even with Clemente in right -- because, as we all know, there are no hitters after Wong batting 5th.

[Maxbialystock]

This could be kind of a telltale game. Houck is the Sox best starter and has already given up 3 runs in 3 innings. Corbin's ERA is 5.98, and he is having zero problems with the Sox lineup.

[Maxbialystock]

We were also saying the two-out approach is "scoring on contact" but the Sox are sending him even with Clemente in right -- because, as we all know, there are no hitters after Wong batting 5th.

Zero hits so far from the four Sox batters before Wong.

[Maxbialystock]

First four Sox batters have now faced Corbin twice and still have no hits. Wong has 2 hits.

[vegasbob]

Sox finally bust through on the hittable Mr. Corbin with a run created by Conor Wong and a wall ball double by Cooper. Wow , this lineup is a machine

[Maxbialystock]

Sox score!!!! They need to stop the game and give Cooper the ball he hit for the double.

[vegasbob]

One problem with the 3 runs off Houck on weak rollers through the 4 hole is the somewhat extreme positioning of Grissom , shifted well towards 2nd base. Otherwise we are up 1-0. The analytics give and takeaway.

[Maxbialystock]

We were also saying the two-out approach is "scoring on contact" but the Sox are sending him even with Clemente in right -- because, as we all know, there are no hitters after Wong batting 5th.

Blackout notwithstanding, I saw the replay. That single was hard hit, a one-hopper to the RF'er who was not deep, and he threw a rope on one hop. However, it was well up the the 3d base line and still beat O'Neill.

[Maxbialystock]

Nats now 2/2 stealing on Wong. Or is it on Houck?

[vegasbob]

Houck now through 5, but still having to work hard with 2 outs, even 2 strikes on the hitters. It's a challenge tonight, but the offensive production is not clicking.

[Maxbialystock]

Rafael hits a GIDP ball, but the Sox already had 2 outs thanks to O'Neill's ignominious K on a called 3d strike well inside the zone.

Sox are 1/5 w/ RISP and the Nats are 3/6.