WHO: Red Sox (67-60) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (65-60)
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SERIES TO DATE: Philadelphia 1-0
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Rick Porcello (11-9, 5.49) vs. LHP Drew Smyly (2-6, 7.09)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI 93.7 FM
The Red Sox paper-thin playoff chances took another resounding hit with a sloppy 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, their second straight loss.
Leading 2-0, the Sox saw the Phils take a 3-2 lead on a wild pitch, error and two-run homer by Bryce Harper off starter Rick Porcello. Later, the Phils tacked on solo runs, utilizing a walk, wild pitch and a two-out triple in the seventh and a walk, balk and two-out single in the ninth.
The Sox had taken a 2-0 lead on a run-scoring double by Rafael Devers in the first and a solo homer by Jackie Bradley Jr. in the second, but didn't score again after that, stranding nine and going 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
10:27 Chris Owings in the last 24 hours: 1) picked off first base as a pinch-runner for the final out Tuesday night. 2) sent to pinch-hit for Marco Hernandez, swinging over changeups to strand two in the bottom of the eighth tonight.
9:43 Andrew Cashner, who had tossed three scoreless relief outings in his first three appearances out of the bullpen can't make it four -- he gives up a leadoff walk to Rhys Hoskins and a two-out triple to right to Corey Dickerson and the Phils get a huge insurance run.
9:05 Toughest part of the pitch to Harper -- it came on a 1-and-2 count.
9:02 Hanging slider to the wrong guy -- Bryce Harper -- who drills it into the Monster Seats, giving the Phils their first lead of the night, 3-2.
8:50 Red Sox leave 'em loaded and have now stranded five while going 2-for-7 with RISP.
8:35 A nine-pitch inning for Porcello, which he needed -- having thrown 66 pitches in his first three innings.
8:00 Jackie Bradley Jr. is heating up at the plate. Homers into the bullpen for the second straight night and fourth time in the last seven games.
7:40 Sox pick up where they left off from last night, getting a run, but also failing to get a run home from second with no out.
7:31 Back-to-back doubles to left -- the first from Mookie Betts, the second from Rafael Devers -- give the Sox a 1-0 lead. Devers has 47 doubles this season, and 31 of them at Fenway.
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Betts RF
Devers 3B
Bogaerts SS
Martinez DH
Benintendi LF
Travis 1B
Vazquez C
Hernandez 2B
Bradley CF
PHILLIES
Hoskins
Harper RF
Realmuto C
Dickerson LF
Segura SS
Morrison DH
Kingery 3B
Hernandez 2B
Haseley CF
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox saw their five-game winning streak snapped with a 3-2 loss Tuesday night....The Sox bullpen has allowed just one run in the last 23.1 innings (0.39 ERA) and limiting opposing hitters to a .355 OPS...Dating back to July 24, the Sox have the lowest relief ERA (2.77) and lowest batting average (.202) in the game...The Sox have homered in 12 straight games, matching their longest streak of the season, and have at least one homer in 24 of the last 25...Andrew Benintendi is hitless over his last 11 at-bats...Mookie Betts has a six-game hitting streak, during which he's 9-for-25 with seven of the hits (five doubles, a triple, a homer) going for extra-bases...Xander Bogaerts has an eight-game hitting streak, 13-for-36, and has knocked in seven runs in that span...Jackie Bradley Jr. has hit in three straight.....Since June 24, Marco Hernandez is hitting .388 (19-for-49)...J.D. Martinez has 24 RBI in his in his last 27 games...Sam Travis is hitting .294 since July 15....Christian Vazquez has a three-game hitting streak....The Sox are 14-7 in Rick Porcello's last 21 starts...He has a career record of 22-9 vs. NL teams....He's thrown five or more innings in 19 of his last 21 outings....Logan Morrison is 12-for-409 (.300) with two homers lifetime against Porcello...Corey Dickerson is 9-for-38 (.237)…..Betts is 6-for-17 (.353) in his career against Drew Smyly….Bradley is 2-for-11 with four strikeouts.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- David Price, who threw a bullpen Tuesday, will throw another Thursday morning before the Sox determine the next step for him. He remains a possibility to start Sunday in San Diego.
- Alex Cora said he hasn't given too much thought about his pitching plans for the resumption of the suspended game with Kansas City Thursday afternoon. Josh Taylor was on the mound when the game was suspended on Aug. 7. "We have to worry about today and figure it out tomorrow. I know the guys who have pitched already,'' said Cora. "But at the same time, we'll take care of today and use the guys that have to use today to win and tomorrow we'll do what we have to do.'' Eduardo Rodriguez, Darwinzon Hernandez, Nathan Eovaldi and Brandon Workman already appeared in the game and thus are ineligible.