Boston Red Sox: 3 moments that mattered in Game 86 win over Nats

Mookie goes deep again

While Mookie Betts was both shocked and excited to see Rick Porcello come through at the plate, don’t think for one second that the AL MVP candidate didn’t have his own moment.

Like Betts has done all season long, he provided the big bat when the team really needed it.

With J.D. Martinez sitting out the game and going against a pitcher like Scherzer, Betts had to be extra special on this night and he came through both at the plate and with his arm.

In a play that kept the Red Sox momentum, Betts came up with a great outfield assist.  In an attempt to go from first to third, Washington’s Daniel Murphy decided to test the arm of Betts.  It was a wager that Mookie won as he throw a perfect one-hopper to third baseman Rafael Devers to retire Murphy.

Then, in the top of the seventh inning, Mookie Betts gave the team a valuable insurance run by powering his 21^st home run of the season over the left-center wall off Nationals reliever Brandon Kintzler.

It turned out to be the winning run of the game and served as more evidence that the Boston Red Sox outfielder is one of the top all-around players in the game.

"“Just doing what I can to help the team,” Betts said.  “I think whatever I can do, I’m definitely going to do.”"

He proved it Monday night as he has been all season.