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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 Josey Jewell 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 Paul Hornung Jersey , 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, 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 Ray Nitschke Jersey , 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.

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Edwin Jackson is making the most of his opportunity with yet another new team.

The 34-year-old journeyman earned his first win with Oakland, pitching neatly into the seventh inning as the Athletics beat the Cleveland Indians 7-2 Saturday for their season-high sixth straight victory.

Jackson (1-0) signed a minor league contract with the A’s on June 6 and is now with his record-tying 13th major league team. He gave up only two hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked none in his second start for Oakland.

”Honestly, when I can look in the mirror and say that I can’t do it any more, I’ll go home,” Jackson said.

”I’m not playing for the money. I’m not playing for anything else but to come have fun,” he said.

Jackson was in the minors for Washington earlier this season, then joined the A’s. With their rotation beset by injuries Reggie White Jersey , the Athletics gave Jackson a chance.

Matt Olson, Dustin Fowler and Josh Phegley homered to help the A’s win for the 12th time in 14 games. They’ve won seven straight against Cleveland and nine of their last 10 against the Indians in Oakland.

Jackson has won 10 consecutive decisions over Cleveland, a streak dating to 2008. His string against the Indians is the longest since Charlie Hough beat them 13 straight times from 1984-88.

Jackson has 13 strikeouts and hasn’t allowed a walk in 12 2/3 innings through his first two starts with Oakland. He topped out at 97 mph on Saturday.

”Based on the way he was available and the way he’s been able to pitch for us it’s a surprise, but he’s always been able to do that a little bit with the sinker and the four-seamer,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said.

”Now he just manipulates a little bit more and the offspeed stuff with the changeup speed and the slider. . It really keeps you off-balance,” he said.

The AL Central-leading Indians lost for the fourth time in five games.

The A’s trailed 2-0 going into the sixth, when Franklin Barreto became their first baserunner with a leadoff double against Adam Plutko (4-2). Phegley followed with his second home run and Oakland took a 3-2 lead when Fowler scored from first on Mark Canha’s double.

”I was extremely happy with the first four (innings) and how could you not be?” Plutko said. ”Even in the fifth I liked what I was doing, but in the sixth they came out with four straight hits, flexed their muscle and that was the game.”

Francisco Lindor hit his 20th homer and Jose Ramirez hit his 24th in the Cleveland fourth.

Oakland broke the game open in the eighth, when they homered twice in a four-run inning. Fowler hit his fifth home run leading off the inning against Dan Otero, and Olson hit a two-run shot off Josh Tomlin Ronnie Harrison Color Rush Jersey , his 18th.

Rookie Lou Trivino induced Yonder Alonso to hit into a game-ending for his third save. Trivino came into the game after the Indians loaded the bases with one out in the ninth off Santiago Casilla on a hit, a walk and a hit batter.

HOME

The A’s finally got their offense going at home, where going into Saturday were batting .233 and averaging 3.61 runs per game at the Coliseum. Oakland is hitting .263 and averaging 5.55 runs on the road.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: LHP Tyler Olson (latissimus dorsi strain) threw his first bullpen on Friday and is expected to throw off a mound again on Sunday. … LHP Ryan Merritt (left knee sprain) threw 48 pitches on Friday in a rehab game with Triple-A Columbus. . RHP Carlos Carrasco (right elbow contusion) was expected to throw 65 pitches in a rehab game with Double-A Akron on Saturday.

Athletics: 3B Matt Chapman (right thumb contusion) will take BP on Sunday and could be activated for Tuesday’s series opener against San Diego without going on a rehab assignment. ”Even if we don’t feel like potentially he’s up to speed offensively, he can save some runs out there defensively,” Melvin said.

UP NEXT

RHP Mike Clevinger (6-3, 3.03 ERA) is 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA in two outings (one start) against Oakland. He’s 2-1 with a 2.07 ERA over his last four starts. RHP Frankie Montas (4-1, 3.68) is 1-1 with a 7.20 ERA over his last three starts.

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