All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Phillies, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Sox continue Fenway dominance: Before the break, the Red Sox were on a roll at Fenway, sweeping their final two series of the season, winning most of those games handily as the scoreboard lit up like a pinball machine. Turns out that a six-game West Coast road trip didn't change things. On their first game back home, the Red Sox went right back to work putting dents in the Green Monster -- that is, when they were hitting balls out of the ballpark altogether. In all, the Sox had 14 hits -- three homers -- and led comfortably (9-3) by the end of the third inning. This is the longest winning streak at Fenway since the 2011 season, when the Sox won 11 straight. During this hot run they're on, the Sox have scored 54 runs in the last six games, an average of exactly nine per game. "We have to play good here and we've been doing that,'' said Alex Cora. "For teams to make it to the next level, you've got to win at home and you've got play good against the division and so far, we've been doing (both).''
Richards makes more progress: The struggles experienced by Garrett Richards are no secret. Since MLB stepped up enforcement of the foreign substance rule, Richards has had to battle. The first two innings weren't promising as the Phils scored three runs, though a big part of that was some unusually sloppy defense by the Red Sox outfield. After the second inning, Richards was able to rip off three scoreless innings and picked up his first win in almost two months, dating back to May 19 against Toronto. Richards has been reinventing himself on the mound in recent weeks, developing new pitches and adopting new grips. "The last five starts or so have been kind of a figuring out period of time for me,'' he said. "I'm starting to figure out some things -- mindset-wise, physically, kind of everything. I'm trying to move forward, trying to improve. It is what it is -- good pitchers are going to figure out a way to be successful. I would like to think I've been in the league this long and I'm not here because I used rosin and sunscreen; I'm here because I'm a good pitcher. It's either adapt or die.''
TURNING POINT
Through the first two innings, this one had all the makings of a slugfest with both teams on pace to reach double figures in run scored. But with the Sox leading 5-3 after two, they sent nine men to the plate and produced three extra-base hits, including a leadoff homer from Rafael Devers. The inning took forever as the Sox plated four runs and began pulling away from the Phillies, knocking starter Vince Velazquez out of the game and continuing to beat up the Philadelphia bullpen.
TWO UP
J.D. Martinez: Martinez led the attack with four RBI, with three coming on a homer into the bullpen and the other on a double to right field. He's got 16 RBI in his last 11 games.
Kike Hernandez: Hernandez delivered his fifth leadoff homer of the season and also had a run-scoring double and a run scored as he continues to ignite the offense at the top of the lineup.
TWO DOWN:
Matt Andriese: The Sox tried to give a mop-up opportunity to the veteran reliever to work some things, but he walked the first hitter he faced with an eight run lead and allowed two runs in just one inning of work.
Xander Bogaerts: While everyone else was pasting the Phillies in the first half of the game, Bogaerts went down swinging in his first three at-bats, stranding a handful of baserunners.
QUOTE OF NOTE:
"For us to get to where we want to go, we have to make this place a home-field advantage again.'' Alex Cora on the team's nine-game winning streak at home.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* J.D. Martinez extended his on-base streak to 26 games, the longest active streak in MLB and tying his own career-best.
* The Sox are 11-2 against NL teams this season.
* Kike Hernandez has five homers and 10 RBI in his last 12 games.
* Hunter Renfroe has 15 RBI in his last 17 games.
* Bobby Dalbec is hitting .301 in his last 21 games.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Phillies play the middle game of their weekend series at 4:10 p.m., with LHP Martin Perez (7-4, 3.89) vs. LHP Matt Moore (0-1, 5.60).