The Washington Nationals, down by one run, had the heart of their order coming up and Uehara was pitching for the first time this season after coming off the disabled list. He had not successfully closed out a game since Aug. 12, going into a worrisome slump after that game and losing his job.

That explained why the cheers for Uehara were louder than usual when the bullpen door swung open in the ninth inning Tuesday night. The 40-year-old sprinted to the mound, eager to pitch.

“I had to get into the flow right away,” Uehara said. “I was really into it.”

Three outs later, the Red Sox had their closer back and an 8-7 victory. David Ortiz, as tradition now dictates, flung Uehara over his shoulder in celebration.

“I’ve lost some weight. It was easier,” Uehara said via translator C.J. Matsumoto.

The perfect inning had some drama. After Uehara struck out Bryce Harper with a splitter, Ryan Zimmerman hammered a fastball down the line in left. Umpire Manny Gonzalez called it foul, which stood up to a review.

“I just felt I didn’t have the velocity or the power behind the pitch. He pretty easily hit it that far,” Uehara said. “I did feel it was going to go foul.”

Zimmerman lined to left field, then Uehara went back to the splitter to strike out Clint Robinson.

“He had adrenaline. It was clear the energy in his delivery,” manager John Farrell said. “The finish to his fastball was better than we saw in spring training. He threw some splits that had really good depth.”

For a 6-2 Red Sox team with questions about its pitching staff, seeing Uehara get a save was affirming.

“He’s important to us. We’re going to need him to be healthy and do what he does. He’s a big part of it,” second baseman Dustin Pedroia said.

The victory also served as an example that this Red Sox team is capable of finding its way through adversity.

Shortstop Xander Bogaerts, the team’s hottest hitter, was unavailable because of a right knee injury. Another masher, Pablo Sandoval, left the game in the sixth inning with a bruised left foot.

That forced Hanley Ramirez to move from left field to third base. He had not played there since 2012. Ramirez did not have a ball come his way.

Ramirez smiled when asked if he had taken any ground balls at third base during spring training.

“Yes, I did. In PlayStation,” he said.

Despite the changes, the Sox had 11 hits and came back from a two-run deficit with three runs in the seventh inning thanks to sloppy play by the Nationals.

Ramirez reached on an error by shortstop Ian Desmond. Matt Thornton then hit Shane Victorino with a pitch. With one out, righthander Blake Treinen came in and hit Allen Craig with a pitch.

Ryan Hanigan bounced a ball to the left side of the mound that could have resulted in a double play. But Treinen dropped the ball, picked it up, and threw past catcher Wilson Ramos. Two runs scored and Craig went to third.

Brock Holt grounded to shortstop and Desmond had a play at the plate on Craig. But after looking that way, he went to first and the Sox had the lead.

It wasn’t an error but it was a mistake. Elias Sports researchers said the Sox were the first team since at least 1961 to score three runs in an inning without a hit or walk.

“We got some extra outs. When you give a major league team an extra out or two, it may end up leading to multiple runs,” Farrell said.

The Nationals (2-6) have committed nine errors and allowed 10 unearned runs.

“It was our game,” Ramirez said. “To come back and win that game, that was awesome. It’s always good when you come back.”

The Sox led, 5-1, after four innings, working over Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg for nine hits.

Mookie Betts, the new prince of Fenway, had a two-run double in the second inning. Daniel Nava and Hanigan had RBI singles in the third inning.

In the fourth inning, Pedroia sent a Strasburg fastball over the wall in left field for his third home run. Pedroia did not hit his third home run until June 8 last season and finished with seven. His power is back.

Justin Masterson, appearing in his first game at Fenway Park as a member of the Red Sox since July 29, 2009, couldn’t hold the four-run lead. He allowed six runs in the fifth inning as the Nationals sent 10 batters to the plate. They had not scored more than four runs in any of their previous seven games.

“The command was just not there today,” said Masterson, who was charged with all seven runs.

The big hit was a two-run triple from Michael Taylor off reliever Alexi Ogando.

The Sox have won their first three series of a season for the first time since 1952.

They try for the sweep on Wednesday afternoon with Wade Miley facing Gio Gonzalez.

Related coverage:

■  Xander Bogaerts could return to Red Sox Wednesday

■  Gasper: No longer a wunderkind, Theo Epstein retains intensity

Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.