For only the second time this season, the Red Sox have dropped consecutive series.
The Red Sox spotted the Philadelphia Phillies a four-run lead before charging back to within a run. The tying run, however, proved elusive and the Sox dropped the final game of the first half, 5-4.
Nick Pivetta gave up a three-run homer to Ronald Torreyes in the fourth inning, his final inning of work.
The Sox managed a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth. But after loading the bases in the eighth, Alex Verdugo grounded out to second, stranding three. The Sox were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10.
WHO: Red Sox (55-35) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (43-44)
WHEN: 1:10
WHERE: Fenway Park
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: BOS 3-2
SERIES TO DATE: 1-1
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Nick Pivetta (7-3, 4.09) vs. RHP Brandon Kintzler (2-1, 7.54)
TV/RADIO: NESN: WEEI-FM 93.7
PHILLIES
Segura 2B
Realmuto C
Harper RF
McCutchen LF
Gregorius SS
Hoskins 1B
Miller DH
Torreyes 3B
Jankowski CF
RED SOX
Hernandez CF
Verdugo LF
Martinez DH
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Renfroe RF
Vazquez C
Gonzalez 1B
Arroyo 2B
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
B8: More frustration for the Red sox, who load the bases but leave them that way as Alex Verdugo swings at the first pitch and grounds out to second. They're 1-for-9 with RISP today.
B6: Huge double by Christian Arroyo -- third hit of the afternoon -- scores Dalbec from first and the Sox are back to within a run with the tying run on second and two out.
B6: Christian Vazquez with some overly aggressive baserunning, gets caught in a rundown, costing the Sox an important baserunner as they trail by three.
B5: Red Sox scratch out a run, but leave J.D. Martinez stranded at second. Red Sox are 0-for-6 with RISP today.
T5: Outstanding play by Kike Hernandez who dives to take a hit away in center from Realmuto, then throws to first to double-up Jean Segura.
T4: Poorly located fastball on a full count by Pivetta, who pays for it big-time on a three-run homer by Ronald Torreyes.
T3: Superb play by Bobby Dalbec at first, who goes sliding toward the line behind the first base bag to stop a smash by Bryce Harper, saving a run as he makes a flip to Nick Pivetta.
T3: Costly throw by Hunter Renfroe in RF, who tries to nab Travis Jankowski going from first to third, only to have ball skip by Rafael Devers and into the Phillies dugout, allowing another run to score and J.T. Realmuto to take third.
B2: Marwin Gonzalez, who had been battling a tight right hamstring, aggravates the condition again running down the line on a groundout. He comes out of the game and is replaced by Bobby Dalbec.
B2: For the second game in a row, Xander Bogaets homers over everything in left. He had gone 82 at-bats and several weeks in between homers before Saturday, and now has has two in two games. No. 15 for the season.
WHAT'S UP: At 55-35 (.611), the Red Sox own the AL’s best record and rank tied for second in MLB...The Red Sox are 11-3 vs. NL teams this season...They are 274-183 (.600) all time against the NL, the highest Interleague winning percentage in MLB...The Sox lead MLB with 28 OF assists; no other team has more than 19...Sox outfielders rank tied for second in MLB with 17 defensive runs saved (source: FanGraphs). The Sox have been charged with zero errors in six of their last seven games (two errors on Friday). LB in wins. The Sox have lost three of their last four games, but they are 11-4 (.733) in their last 15, as well as 23-12 (.657) in their last 35...The Red Sox are closing out their first half by playing 19 games in 20 days (12-6 so far). This is the fourth time in nine years the Sox are entering the All-Star break in first place...They won the AL East in each of the previous three instances (2013, ‘17, ‘18). The Sox last entered the All-Star break with the AL’s best record in 2018 and 2013....The Red Sox snapped a nine-game home winning streak Saturday, their longest win streak at Fenway since 2011...The Sox are 28-18 (.609) at home, the third-best record in the AL (ninth-best in MLB)...They are 13-5 (.722) at home since Fenway opened to full capacity on May 29. The Sox own MLB’s best road record (27-17, .614).... The Red Sox are 11-3 vs. NL teams this season...They are 274-183 (.600) all time against the NL, the highest Interleague winning percentage in MLB....The Sox lead MLB with 28 OF assists; no other team has more than 19...Sox outfielders rank tied for second in MLB with 17 defensive runs saved (source: FanGraphs). The Sox have been charged with zero errors in six of their last seven games (two errors on Friday).... Saturday, Josh Taylor snapped his streak of 26 consecutive scoreless pitching appearances (21.2 IP), MLB’s longest streak of 2021...It is the longest streak by a LHP in Red Sox history. J.D. Martinez owns MLB’s longest active on-base streak (27 G), marking a new career high (26 G in 2018)...The longest streak by any player this season is 29 games (Xander Bogaerts and Jeimer Candelario).....The Red Sox rank in the top five in the majors in runs scored (third, 460), AVG (third, .258), SLG (third .439), OPS (fourth, .761), doubles (first, 190), and XBH (first, 314). The Red Sox have hit four or more homers in a game an MLB-best eight times...They lead MLB with 20 three-run homers. The Sox are an MLB-best 48-6 (.889) when scoring four or more runs...Prior to allowing 11 runs Saturday, Red Sox pitchers had posted an AL-best 2.85 ERA in their previous 15 games...Sox pitchers issued six walks Saturday, after walking only five batters in their previous 4 games combined. The Sox lead the AL with 1.04 HR allowed per 9.0 IP. Sox starters have thrown five or more innings 70 times, third-most in the majors (LAD-79, OAK-71)...The Sox are 46-24 (.657) in those games.
NOTES:
* Alex Cora had not spoken to Chris Sale late Sunday morning to see how he felt coming off a two-inning simulated game in Fort Myers. The Sox are waiting to see how Sale bounced back before scheduling his first rehab appearance outing with either Portland or Worcester. That, too, will likely go two innings.