Thanks for playing Nationals

Another night in DC: another Red Sox win and another new attendance record at Nationals Park. Boston beat Washington 6-4 last night behind the power of David Ortiz and Jason Varitek.

Anderson Hernandez gave the Nationals (20-49) a 1-0 lead in the second with an RBI single.

From there, the Red Sox (44-27) reeled off six straight runs to take command of the game. Ortiz had the biggest blow, a three-run moonshot to center in the fourth gave Boston a 3-1 lead.

In the fifth, Dustin Pedroia (2 hits) had an RBI single which scored Nick Green (who was almost impaled earlier by an exploding bat, really).

One inning later, Varitek hit a two-run shot of his own to the second deck in right, that also scored Ortiz to give the Sox a 6-1 lead.

Much like Brad Penny the night before, Boston pitcher Jon Lester (6-6) was not great (especially for his high standards) but he gave his team six consistent innings. He gave up three runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

The Nationals made it somewhat interesting as Josh Willingham hit a two-run double in the sixth and Cristian Guzman (2 hits, walk) added an RBI triple in the seventh.

Jonathan Papelbon recorded his 17th save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth, a rarity for him these days.

Boston looks for the sweep tonight and even more importantly, we get our first glimpse of John Smoltz. He'll be limited to 85-90 pitches (so probably 5 or 6 innings) but who knows what to expect from the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer.

DC has a baseball team?

The Red Sox made their first trip to see the Washington Nationals in our nation's capital and game one last night was a complete success. Up 4-3 in the eighth, Boston (43-27) exploded for six runs en route to a comfortable 11-3 win.

As expected, Red Sox fans filled the stands at Nationals Park, accounting for a record sellout. The three-game set is supposed to be the only sold-out series of the season for the hapless Nationals (20-48).

The Sox banged out 17 hits, led by Jason Bay (4-for-6, 3 runs, 3 RBIs), Jacoby Ellsbury (4-for-4 including his first two-triple game with 3 RBIs, a walk and steal), Dustin Pedroia (3 hits, 2 runs) and Kevin Youkilis (2 hits, 2 runs, 2 RBIs).

Boston starter Brad Penny was far from great but it didn't matter. He lasted 5.2 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with three runs and six strikeouts.

Manny Delcarmen (2-1) got the win in relief even though he only recorded one out.

Adam Dunn gave Washington a lead in the first with an RBI double which scored Ryan Zimmerman (2 hits, 2 runs).

Bay added to his AL-leading RBI totals with a solo homer in the second to tie it at one.

Ellsbury's first triple, in the fourth, scored Bay to make it 2-1 Red Sox.

Zimmerman scored on a Penny wild pitch in the fourth to tie it at two.

Youkilis' RBI single in the fifth scored Pedroia but a pair of bum ex-Sox tied it up as Willie Harris hit an RBI double in the sixth which plated Josh Bard.

Jason Varitek gave Boston the lead for good with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

The Sox went wild on a bunch of the Nationals terrible relievers in the eighth. Bay began the damage with a two-run single. Varitek added an RBI single and Ellsbury's second triple scored two. Nick Green ended the big inning with an RBI single.

Youkilis made it 11-3 in the ninth with an RBI double.

Jon Lester goes for Boston tonight.