[officialsbaseball]

Just stepping into the batter’s box to face good friend and former teammate Max Scherzer was a special occasion for Rick Porcello.

A career American League pitcher with 35 plate appearances on his resume going up against a three-time Cy Young Award-winner had mismatch written all over it. Instead Authentic Ed Dickson Jersey , Porcello hit a three-run double off Scherzer that set the stage for the Boston Red Sox beating the Washington Nationals 4-3 in the opener of their three-game interleague series Monday night.

”I got lucky,” Porcello said. ”He got to the top of his windup and I told myself, `Start swinging.’ Then I hit it.”

Porcello’s first major league extra-base hit came in the second inning on an 0-2 pitch after the Nationals intentionally walked Jackie Bradley Jr. to pitch to him. His .156 batting average and limited hitting experience made it appear to be the right calculation, but Porcello drove Scherzer’s 96 mph fastball over the head of Juan Soto in left center for his first RBIs since 2009.

”You don’t hit for an entire year,” said Porcello, who came in with five hits and two RBIs in his career. ”You don’t even know what it’s going to look like once you step in there. I was thinking swing the bat and be competitive up there. You just never know what’s going to happen because you don’t do it very often.”

Scherzer and Porcello were teammates for five seasons with the Detroit Tigers and are still close. Because of that, Scherzer wasn’t surprised by Porcello’s hitting stroke.

”I know he can hit,” Scherzer said. ”Give him a couple sliders to keep him off balance and then was trying to get a fastball up and away and it ran back middle-in. Anybody can hit middle-in. He can do that. I’ve seen him do it.”

On the mound, Porcello (10-3) struck out five and limited the damage to solo home runs by Anthony Rendon and Daniel Murphy. Scherzer (10-5) struck out nine and kept the Red Sox off the board except for Porcello’s bases-clearing double and became the 11th pitcher to reach 1,000 strikeouts with two different teams.

When Scherzer exited the game after 108 pitches, Mookie Betts provided the Red Sox with their insurance run with a solo shot off Brandon Kintzler in the seventh, his 21st home run of the season. Bryce Harper hit his 21st in the eighth, but Boston’s bullpen held on to hand the Nationals their 16th loss in 24 one-run games.

”Go out there and try to win ballgames and they all feel the same to me,” Harper said as Washington fell to 42-41, seven games back of NL East-leading Atlanta. ”I mean we lose the game Youth Kyzir White Jersey , you’re a loser. Win the game, you’re a winner.”

Craig Kimbrel got into some trouble but picked up four outs for his 25th save in 27 chances.

FIRST-BASE HARPER?

Harper is doing just fine in center field but on Monday fielded some grounders at first base. It’s just experimental for now but could help the Nationals out down the line.

”I don’t ever know if he’ll ever start a game there, but I believe that if we’re in a pinch and we’ve got to make some kind of decisions in-game, he probably could play there,” manager Davey Martinez said.

PUERTO RICO PRIDE

Martinez and Red Sox manager Alex Cora were never on the same team but knew each other well from their playing days. They exchanged lineup cards as two managers of Puerto Rican descent in the series opener, a special moment and occasion for them and their country.

”It’s good for Puerto Rico,” Martinez said. ”We feel blessed and we’re happy we got the opportunity to do what we do.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: RHP Steven Wright (left knee inflammation) received a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection, a day after throwing a short bullpen session. Cora said Wright could return before the All-Star break. . 2B Dustin Pedroia (left knee inflammation) will remain in New York all week. . Cora said RHP Tyler Thornburg (shoulder surgery) will most likely be activated from the disabled list during this series.

Nationals: 1B Ryan Zimmerman (right oblique strain) took part in a simulated game as he prepares to try to play in a game for the first time since May. … Martinez said C Matt Wieters (left hamstring strain) will go on a minor-league rehab assignment Tuesday at Double-A Harrisburg after reporting significant progress in the simulated game and could be activated as soon as Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Boston LHP Brian Johnson (1-2, 4.28 ERA), who is 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in three career interleague appearances, faces Washington for the first time. RHP Tanner Roark (3-9, 4.10 ERA) pitches for the Nationals in his first career start against the Red Sox.

—


FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) Sam Darnold huddled up with his Pad to keep on top of the New York Jets‘ offense during his brief contract holdout.

The rookie quarterback missed the first three practices of training camp while his representatives ironed out details of his four-year, $30.5 million fully guaranteed deal. But Darnold wasn’t very far from the field – literally.

Staying at a hotel just a few deep passes down the road from the Jets’ practice facility, the No. 3 overall pick was able to view film of the team’s camp sessions on his own while staying patient as his contract negotiations played out.

”It sucked watching them Adidas Corey Crawford Jersey ,” Darnold said Wednesday, speaking to reporters for the first time since rejoining the team Monday. ”But at the same time, I knew what needed to be done. It was tough watching them, but at the same time, I knew that it was necessary.”

The hang-up appeared to be over contract language – namely offsets and possibly defaults – and Pro Football Talk first reported that the deal includes offset language on future guarantees – if he gets cut. But the Jets also agreed to pay the quarterback’s full $20 million signing bonus within 15 days after Darnold signed Monday and removed language in the deal voiding guarantees based on fines by the NFL.

”I thought it played out great,” Darnold said. ”But honestly, you know, I think with the way that everything worked out, that’s why I have great agents because they’re able to figure that stuff out. And then whenever I get back on the field, that’s my job and my job is to play football to the best of my ability.”

While sitting out camp, Darnold said he worked out at the hotel gym and also was able to throw passes at a nearby high school with fellow clients of his agents’ group – CAA – serving as his receivers.

Darnold is competing with Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater for the Jets’ starting job, but has to make up for a little bit of lost time because of his early camp absences.

”That’s a coach’s decision,” Darnold said when asked if his goal is to be the starter in Week 1. ”The competitor in me, yeah, I want to start. But at the same time Cheap Customized Baltimore Ravens Jerseys , it’s about the team and what’s best for the team.”

Darnold has appeared comfortable running the offense, hardly looking like a lost 21-year-old who’s simply trying to tread water. He has made his share of mistakes, too, but his ability to immediately bounce back from them has been impressive.

”It was the second day for him,” coach Todd Bowles said. ”He’s learning, progressing. He’ll watch the film, learn and get better.”

After having his arm hit as he was throwing a pass that was intercepted by Morris Claiborne, Darnold completed a long pass to Chad Hansen for a big gain.

”We always talk about it in the quarterbacks room, but we also talk about it as a team: You want to limit your mistakes,” Darnold said. ”At the same time, if you do make a mistake, you don’t want to keep your head down. You want to hold your head up high and go after the next play with all you’ve got. So that’s kind of our mentality here, but that’s also been my mentality throughout playing football.”

That cool-headed, veteran-like approach has impressed his teammates.

”Just his decision-making with the football,” running back Bilal Powell said. ”Just taking what the defense gives him and not just trying to force it in there. He’s a smart guy and I think he’s going to do well in this league.”

Added Bridgewater: ”I’m a huge fan of Sam Darnold. I’m glad to be in the quarterback room with him.”

While a rookie holding out might rub some teammates the wrong way Sam Koch Jersey , many insisted they understand the business side of the game and didn’t resent Darnold for not being there with them when camp opened.

That didn’t make the young QB immune from some good-natured razzing, of course.

He received a slow-clap as he jogged onto the field for the first time Monday, causing him to break into a sheepish smile just before practice.

”That was awesome,” Darnold said with a laugh. ”To be able to just be a part of that, not really expecting anything and them doing that, it kind of pushed everything – me not showing up to camp on time and me being late – it kind of pushed all that aside. It made me feel comfortable and made me feel like a part of the team.”

Darnold was the main attraction during and after practice Wednesday, with a couple dozen reporters and cameras surrounding him as he spoke.

Even the other two quarterbacks knew who everyone wanted to hear from.

Bridgewater went first and cracked about how he was part of the undercard to the main event. McCown then compared himself to a warmup act at a concert.

”I’ve only got three songs,” the 39-year-old quarterback joked, ”and one of `em is a cover.”

Then, the headliner made his way to the podium.

”Personally, because I have really high expectations for myself, I’ve got a ways to go in terms of growth,” Darnold said. ”But I feel comfortable with the offense at a rudimentary level.”

—

Sell Nike Tampa Bay Buccaneers Elite Limited Authentic NFL Jerseys