The opponent didn't matter. The moments did.
With the stink of the Orioles series still lingering - along with the discomfort of knowing there were three competing Wild Card teams probably feeling pretty about themselves - the Red Sox were forced to be at their absolute best with the weight of the 2021 season plummeting on top of them.
Their response suggested this team might actually be postseason-worthy after all.
Eduardo Rodriguez. Kiké Hernandez. Xander Bogaerts. J.D. Martinez. Hunter Renfroe. Bobby Dalbec. Ryan Brasier. Hansel Robles.
The Red Sox beat the Nationals, 4-2, Friday night to move a game ahead of Seattle (who lost to the Angels) in the Wild Card chase, while moving within one game of the Wild Card's to spot (thanks to the Yankees loss). And they did it in large part because of those eight players' ability to come through when it counted the most.
Rodriguez: The Red Sox starting pitcher exhibited all the ace-like qualities so many were waiting for throughout the 2021 season. Rodriguez didn't allow a run over his five-plus innings, keeping the Nationals at bay until somebody in the Red Sox' lineup could do something. And just for good measure, his final out came courtesy of the rarest of rare - a strikeout of National League MVP candidate Juan Soto.
Hernandez: Undeniably the most pivotal defensive play of the game came from this guy, who started at second base for the first time since Aug. 24. After Washington loaded the bases with nobody out in the fourth inning, Rodriguez started easing his way out of it with a Jordy Mercer strikeout and Carter Kieboom foul out. Then Kiké saved the day, darting in on a slow roller from speedy Andrew Stevenson and somehow getting a flip off to Dalbec in time to end the inning.
Bogaerts: In case you didn't know, the shortstop had been a slump. A bad one. And while this time around there simply three walks and a 111.2 mph single, his on-base kept the line moving. It was especially important in the sixth inning, when Bogaerts led off the frame with the aforementioned base-hit. Why? Because ...
Martinez: Bogaerts' hit paved the way for Martinez to stay red-hot with what would be one of his two hits. The fifth-inning single was huge. Why? Because ...
Renfroe: The outfielder now has 31 home runs. There hasn't been one more important than the three-run job he hit once Bogaerts and Martinez got aboard. Zero-zero became 3-0, and with it was a sigh of relief that could be felt up and down the Beltway.
Dalbec: Just when it looked like another downturn might be on the horizon for the rookie, along came the first pitch immediately after Renfroe's blast.
Brasier: After the rare instance of letting the starting pitcher finish off an inning by hitting into an out and then replacing him with nobody out in the next half a frame, the Red Sox' reliever made everything A-OK. The righty continued his emergence as perhaps the team's most reliable relief pitcher, stranding the two runners left behind by Rodriguez while holding on to the visitors' newly-built four-run lead.
Robles: The trade deadline acquisition has come a long way since that first impression when he tried taking on the entire Blue Jays team while seemingly walking the world. The Red Sox have needed somewhat with the capability to close, and that's exactly where they have landed with Robles. After his scoreless ninth inning, the righty still hasn't allowed a run since Aug. 29. During those 14 appearances, he has held opponents to a .114 batting average, striking out 16 and walking four in 12 2/3 innings.
There was no room for interpretation. The Red Sox needed the best from this bunch Friday night, and that's exactly what they got. Now comes Test No. 2 ...
"You win, then you look around and see where we’re at," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. "We’ve got one job to do and it’s win ballgames. Obviously, what’s going on, you see it all over the place, it’s not that easy to -- you’re locked in on your game, of course, but you know what’s going on around the league. It was a good one. Hunter with a big swing, Eddie was really good. His fastball was great, he was able to elevate. Kept them off balance, made some pitches in the fifth inning, he was really good."