Fenway follies continue for Nats (Red Sox win 8-7)

BOSTON - The Nationals jumped out in front in the second when center fielder Michael A. Taylor delivered a two-out single, scoring second baseman Danny Espinosa. It was Taylor's team-leading fourth RBI.

The Red Sox came right back in their half of the inning. A pair of singles from first baseman Mike Napoli and shortstop Brock Holt eventually paid off when center fielder Mookie Betts hit a two-out double, scoring both. Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg has already given up five hits through two innings.

Betts is now 3-for-6 in the series with a homer and six RBIs.

Nats right fielder Bryce Harper is having a tough start tonight. Red Sox starter Justin Masterson has struck out Harper twice, running his season total to a team-high 13.

Update: Strasburg had to labor through the third inning. He hit a batter and gave up three hits, leading to two more runs. All four of the Red Sox's runs have come on two-out hits. Strasburg has thrown 73 pitches already.

Update II: Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia turned on a Strasburg fastball and sent it flying over the Green Monster for a one-out solo homer in the fourth. Strasburg has now allowed nine hits in each of his two starts this season.

Update III: The Nats finally put together a rally in the fifth. Left fielder Jayson Werth was hit by a pitch, Harper singled and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman walked to load the bases for designated hitter Clint Robinson.

Robinson delivered a single to right to score the Nats' second run. One batter later, catcher Wilson Ramos grounded out to score Harper. Shortstop Ian Desmond then picked up his third hit of the night by slapping a ground ball past the diving Napoli, plating Zimmerman and Robinson and tying the game. The Nats weren't finished. After Masterson hit Espinosa, Taylor smacked a triple to the gap in right-center. Two more runs scored on the play to give the Nats the lead.

Desmond is 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, while Taylor is 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs.

Update IV: Stop me if you've heard this one before. The Red Sox's side of the seventh started with Nats left-hander Matt Thornton getting third baseman Hanley Ramirez to hit a routine groundball to Desmond, which the shortstop couldn't handle for his sixth error of the season. Thornton then hit outfielder Shane Victorino. After Napoli flew out, Nationals manager Matt Williams called for right-hander Blake Treinen from the bullpen.

Treinen promptly hit pinch-hitter Allen Craig to load the bases. With one out, catcher Ryan Hanigan hit a dribbler in front of the plate that Treinen hurried up to field with plenty of time for the force at the plate. But he bobbled it, and once he gathered it, he rushed his throw, wildly missing Ramos as the ball sailed into the stands. Two runs would score, tying the game as Treinen was charged with two errors on the fiasco.

One batter later, Holt's ground out to Desmond plated Craig as the Red Sox regained the lead.

When the smoke settled, the Red Sox had scored three runs without a hit. Three errors and two hit batters cost the Nats the lead.

The Red Sox lead the Nats 8-7 in the eighth.

Update V: That's the game. The Nats fall to the Red Sox for the second night in a row. Harper struck out against closer Koji Uehara to lead off the ninth. Then, Zimmerman came to the plate and smashed a ball that looked like a home run, but upon an umpire review, went just foul. He eventually lined out, and Robinson struck out to end the game.

The Nationals fall 8-7 to the Red Sox.