All you need to know, in quickie form. about the Red Sox' 6-5 loss and 5-2 win with the Phillies, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 HEADLINES
Dalbec provides: It's official - Bobby Dalbec has arrived. Through the first nine games of his major league career, he's swatted five homers. On Tuesday, after homering in the opener in a losing cause, he snapped a 2-2 tie in the sixth with a two-run shot in the sixth and added a run-scoring single for insurance in the seventh. Without him, the Red Sox likely would have been swept. Instead, he provided the margin of victory by producing the final three runs of the night. Dalbec made some adjustments in his stance and re-positioned his lower half late last week, and instead of the four-strikeout games he suffered through in his first week, he's made much more consistent contract and flashed his plus-plus power. On his two-run homer in the sixth, Dalbec appeared to get his arms extended and swing casually, only to see the ball travel over 400 feet into the seats in right.
Mazza provides a lift: Last week, Chris Mazza pitched well enough to get a win (one run allowed) but was lifted after four innings. In the nightcap Tuesday, he gave up two runs in the first inning, but settled down nicely and gave the Sox four shutout innings thereafter. In so doing, he became just the third starting pitcher to earn a victory for the Red Sox this season. Mazza is 30 years old, so he's no prospect. And he doesn't blow people away with a 95 mph fastball, relying more on breaking pitches to get through a lineup. But with nine innings pitched and three runs allowed over his last two starts, he's become more dependable than any active pitcher on the roster not named Martin Perez and the prospect of another three or so starts over the final 16 games gives the Red Sox some hope that he might emerge as a usable piece going forward, while also providing competitive outings in the short-term.
GAME 1 HEADLINES
Walks hurt again: On Sunday, the Red Sox issued a season high 10 walks in an ugly loss to Toronto. In the opener Tuesday, it wasn't quite that bad: the Sox walked only eight. Then again, considering the game was only seven innings, maybe it was every bit as bad. Martin Perez wasn't sharp from the beginning. He walked one in the first, one in the second, three in the third and another in the fourth. The third inning was a complete mess, with the Phillies scoring three times. Naturally, every one of the three hitters he walked came around to score. Reliever Ryan Brasier followed the pattern by walking a hitter in the sixth and closer Matt Barnes walked the first hitter he saw -- in a one-run game, that's never good, and this was no different. In all, of the eight Phils who drew walks, four scored. It's bad enough that the Red Sox are having pitching issues, but the inability -- or the unwillingness -- to throw strikes is only compounding matters. Being hit around is one thing, but putting people on base with free passes is even worse. "Walks have hurt all us all year,'' acknowledged Ron Roenicke.
Power show: If nothing else, the Red Sox have discovered the long ball as a major weapon in recent days. They hit a season-high five in Saturday's walk-off win, clubbed four more in Sunday's loss and added yet four more in the Game 1 defeat. Bobby Dalbec hit his fourth, Alex Verdugo hit his sixth and Rafael Devers hit two. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, all four of them came with the bases empty, accounting for the bare minimum of four runs. Still, there was something good to take from all the long balls. Dalbec is demonstrating his strength, and when he exhibits some selectivity at the plate, can be a real force. Verdugo isn't a home run hitter per se, but he's shown that he can hit mistakes out, adding to his league-leading doubles totals. And then there's Devers, who possesses amazing plate coverage and the ability to hit the ball no matter where it's pitched. His first homer came at the top of the strike zone and was one of the hardest-hit balls (116.5 mph) of the season. He then went the other way on his second homer. After a slow start, Devers is decidedly locked in at the plate, with seven homers and 21 RBI in the last 19 games.
GAME 2 TURNING POINT
As impressive as his two-run shot was in the sixth, Dalbec's biggest at-bat may have come in the seventh when he punched a cutter from former Red Sox reliever Heath Hembree into center, scoring an insurance run. When the Sox bullpen nearly imploded in the bottom of the seventh, with Austin Brice walking two, bringing the potential tying run to the plate, that extra run loomed large.
GAME 1 TURNING POINT
Reliever Matt Barnes hadn't walked a single batter in his three previous outings before walking J.T. Realmuto to start the seventh while trying to close out the game and preserve a one-run lead. In short order, Realmuto went to third on a single, then scored the tying run on Alec Bohm's walk off single to left.
TWO UP
GAME 2
Tzu-Wei Lin: Getting a rare start in the outfield, Lin chipped in with two hits and an RBI, while making several fine plays in the outfield, including the final out which he caught his back literally against the wall on the warning track.
GAME 1
Christian Vazquez: Although Vazquez made an ill-advised wild throw to third which resulted in a run for the Phillies, he had a big day at the plate, producing four hits in four at-bats.
THREE DOWN
GAME 2
J.D. Martinez: Just when it seems Martinez is getting himself on track, he has a game like Tuesday night in which he's 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
GAME 1
Martin Perez: Perez issued six walks in just five innings while allowing four runs. He didn't look like the same pitcher who no-hit the Blue Jays for six innings last week.
Jackie Bradley Jr.: Bradley came in as one of the hotter hitters, but was 0-for-4 and struck out three times.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Bradley's nine-game hitting streak came to an end in the opener, but be bounced back with three hits and three runs scored in the nightcap.
- The Red Sox are now 6-8 in interleague play this season with six more games against NL teams remaining.
- Dalbec became the first Red Sox rookie to homer in four consecutive games.