Kyle Schwarber homers for fifth straight game as Phillies beat Red Sox 2-1

Remember when Craig Breslow said the Red Sox would look for opportunities to add more power to the lineup?

On Tuesday night, during Boston’s 2-1 series-opening loss to the Phillies, Breslow watched former Red Sox slugger Kyle Schwarber launch his 17th home run of the season, and his fifth in as many games, in the top of the first inning.

Schwarber was available in free agency this past winter, but Boston never seriously pursued a reunion with the left-handed slugger. Instead, the Red Sox pivoted toward pitching, signing left-hander Ranger Suárez, who is expected to start later in the series.

Meanwhile, Boston’s desperate need for offense continued to show itself Tuesday night.

Phillies ace Zack Wheeler completely controlled the Red Sox lineup, tossing 7 1/3 innings while allowing just one run on six hits. He hit one batter, walked nobody, and struck out four.

Wheeler was so efficient early that he needed just 16 pitches to navigate the first three innings, the fewest pitches thrown by any major league starter through three innings since at least 2000.

The Red Sox had opportunities to disrupt Wheeler’s rhythm but erased them almost immediately.

Masataka Yoshida reached after being hit by the first pitch of the second inning, while Marcelo Mayer led off the third with a single. Both baserunners were quickly wiped away on double plays off the bats of Trevor Story and Caleb Durbin.

“Zack Wheeler, he was cruising,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said after the game. “The sixth inning on, the at-bats got pretty good. So we got into a spot basically, couple spots where it’s like, we need a two-out hit. A two-out hit changes the game. ...We just couldn’t get it.”

The Red Sox finally showed some patience at the plate in the fourth inning, forcing Wheeler to work deeper counts and driving up his pitch count after the Phillies ace cruised through the opening three frames.

“The guys were aware,” Tracy said. “At that point there they kind of realized like, ‘We at least got to try to drag it out a little bit,’ and that’s when the at-bats started to improve. So they knew.”

The Red Sox did not put multiple runners on base until the seventh inning.

Mickey Gasper led off the frame with a single before Wilyer Abreu crushed a ball to the warning track in front of the visitors’ bullpen, a drive that reportedly would have been a home run in 29 other MLB ballparks.

Story followed with a two-out single to put two men on for Ceddanne Rafaela, who blooped an RBI single into shallow right field to end Wheeler’s shutout bid and trim Philadelphia’s lead to 2-1.

Story also worked a walk in the ninth inning. Despite his season-long offensive struggles, the veteran shortstop has quietly hit safely in 11 of his last 14 games, though he is still batting just .203 on the season.

“I don’t think it was afraid of falling behind,” Tracy said. “The thought (was) if he’s throwing fastballs early in the count, let’s try to get on some.”

Wheeler’s dominance on the mound ultimately became the biggest story of the night.

The Phillies ace carved through Boston’s lineup for most of the evening, continuing a season in which he has looked every bit like one of baseball’s premier starters.

Brayan Bello turned in