Limited to just two hits through the first seven innings, the Red Sox saw their four-game winning streak snapped in a 6-2 loss to the Phillies.
Zack Wheeler dominated the Sox throughout. After allowing a leadoff single to Kike Hernandez to start the game, he didn't give up another hit until Hernandez singled again in the sixth.
Meanwhile, Eduardo Rodriguez was roughed up for four runs in the first inning and couldn't record an out in the fifth inning as he suffered his third straight loss.
The only Red Sox runs came on late solo shots from Franchy Cordero and Rafael Devers.
WHO: Red Sox (29-18) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (22-24)
WHEN: 1:05 p.m.
WHERE: Citizens Bank Ballpark
SERIES TO DATE: Red Sox 2-0
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (5-2, 4.70) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler (3-2, 2.52)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Hernandez 2B
Santana CF
Devers 3B
Vazquez C
Renfroe RF
Gonzalez SS
Dalbec 1B
Cordero LF
Rodriguez P
PHILLIES
McKutchen LF
Herrera CF
Segura 2B
Hoskins 1B
Bohm 3B
Miller RF
Kapp C
Torreyes SS
Wheeler P
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
T8: Finally, Franchy Cordero connects for his first homer. And it was not a cheapie -- more than 470 feet with an exit velocity of 118 mph! Sox will not be shutout today.
T6: That would seem to have been the best chance for the Sox to break through against Wheeler. Rafael Devers had two on and a big swing could have put the Sox right back in the game. But after fouling off a handful of pitches, Devers goes down swinging.
B5: A leadoff double (Herrera) and a five-pitch walk (Jean Segura) and that's all for Rodriguez today, he throws 103 pitches and yet records just 12 outs. Alex Cora had said he wanted six innings from Rodriguez because of the bullpen's workload of late, but he didn't come close to delivering that. Hirokzau Sawamura on.
B4: Rodriguez is throwing better as the game goes along, with two tough sinkers at the bottom of the zone resulting in called third strikes this inning. Problem is, he's going to be close to 90 pitches before he's through with the fourth inning.
T4: Sox can get nothing going against Wheeler, who allowed a leadoff single to Hernandez, and has since retired the last dozen in a row, including
B2: Rodriguez finally fans Wheeler, but it takes him nine pitchers to do so -- far more than should be used against an opposing pitchers.
B1: Rodriguez leaves a four-seamer dead-red and Brad Miller just gets enough of it the other way, inches inside the left field foul pole for a three-run homer.
B1: Rough start for Eduardo Rodriguez -- two walks, a hit batsman, a run-scoring single and two stolen bases.
B1: Rhys Hoskins finds a hole in the Red Sox shift, and singles to RF, scoring Odubel Herrera from second base.
T1: Zack Wheeler is not fooling around -- 97-98 mph, up in the zone -- and just overpowering Red Sox hitters early with two strikeouts.
WHAT'S UP: :The Red Sox have won four in a row and seven of their last nine games....At 29-18 (.617), the Sox own the AL’s best record; only the Padres (29-17, .630) have a better mark in all of MLB...The Sox are a season-high 11 games above .500. and their plus-51 run differential ranks third in the AL...The Red Sox have been in first place in the division for 43 consecutive days.... The Red Sox own the best road record in the game at 16-6 (.727)...They are 6-1-0 in in road series, with their only losing series at Texas, where they dropped three-of-four earlier this month...: Danny Santana is the fifth player to homer in each of their first two games in Red Sox history, joining Darnell McDonald (2010), Sam Horn (1987), Lee Thomas (1964), and Jake Jones (1947)...No player has ever homered in each of their first three games with the Sox...: The Red Sox lead the majors in runs (247), doubles (105), extra-base hits (171), slugging percentage (.452), and OPS (.778)...They rank second in AVG (.266) behind HOU (.272). The Sox are 26-3 (.897) when scoring four or more runs; only Cleveland (20-2, .909) is better in that regard...Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, and J.D. Martinez are the first trio of Red Sox players to ever record at least 10 HR and 10 doubles each in the team’s first 50 games. Bogaerts, Devers, and Martinez each have 10 or more homers and 30 or more RBI...No other team has more than one player with those numbers, and 19 teams have none. Bogaerts (59) and Martinez (57) rank 1st and 2nd in the AL in hits...Martinez leads MLB in runs scored (38)....: The Red Sox are out-homering their opponents, 63-34. That plus-29), the largest difference in MLB. The Sox rank 2nd in the AL in HR (63)...They have an AL-best 36 HR in their last 21 games and have hit multiple HR in eight of their last nine games. Sox pitchers have allowed an AL-best 0.74 HR/9.0 IP, the second-lowest rate in MLB...The Sox have allowed one or no homers in each of their last 11 games, their longest streak since 2018....The Red Sox are sixth in the AL and 12th in the majors in ERA (3.86) and have allowed four earned runs or fewer in 11 of the last 13 games...In that time, they have a 3.52 ERA....Red Sox pitchers have struck out exactly 13 batters in three straight games....Matt Barnes earned his 11th save Saturday, most in the AL...Among pitchers with 20.0 IP this season, he ranks second strikeout percentage (50.0, 40 of 80) and SO/9.0 IP (16.12)...Lefty Josh Taylor has made 10 consecutive scoreless appearances, allowing just two hits over his last 7.1 innings pitched. Opponents are 0 for their last 14 against him....Adam Ottavino has made 5 consecutive scoreless appearances and has yet to allow a homer this season...The Red Sox have won each of Eduardo Rodriguez’s last 14 Interleague starts, during which he's 8-0 with a 2.52 ERA....Sox pitchers are hitless in their last 31 PA (0-for-28, BB, 2 SH)...Andrew McCutchen is 3-for-6 with a homer in his career against Rodriguez while Brad Miller is 0-for-7 with five strikeouts...Kike Hernandez is 1-for-9 lifetime against Zack Wheeler.
NOTES:
* Alex Cora gave Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez the day off Sunday, reasoning that with Monday's scheduled off-day, it will have the effect of giving them two days off in a row.
* Cora said Eduard Bazardo, who left a game for Worcester with a strained lat, will be shutdown for a period of three weeks with no throwing or baseball activities allowed.
* Christian Arroyo (hand contusion) remains with Triple A Worcester on a rehab assignment, but all signs point to him being activated and recalled for the start of the homestand on Tuesday. At that point, the Sox will have to decide between optioning Michael Chavis or Franchy Cordero to make room for Arroyo's return.