The Sports Xchange
Phillies 6, Red Sox 4
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia’s pitchers, led by starter Cole Hamels and capped by closer Jonathan Papelbon, kept Boston’s offense in check and won the first Interleague meeting of the season between the teams 6-4 on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.
It was just the third time in eight games in which the Red Sox had scored four runs or fewer.
Papelbon, who was drafted by Boston (18-21) and pitched there from 2005-11 before signing as a free agent with the Phillies this past offseason, closed the door on his former team in the ninth for his 12th save.
The Phillies (21-19), owners of a six-game winning streak, are now two games over .500 for the first time this season.
Leading just 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth, the Phillies got a big home run from rookie Freddy Galvis. The eight-hole hitter hit his second homer of the season to make it a two-run game.
After Hamels pitched a scoreless seventh, his 113-pitch count forced the Phillies to turn to the bullpen in the eighth. That’s when Chad Qualls allowed the Red Sox to inch closer. Adrian Gonzalez smoked a ball off the facing of the second deck, which made it a 5-4 game. It ended a 0-for-15 skid by Gonzalez, who hadn’t homered since April 17 against the Rangers.
With the Phillies ahead 5-2 heading into the sixth, Cody Ross drilled a solo homer, making it his fifth career long ball against Hamels and his 14th against the Phillies, the most of any team.
Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz continued his torrid May with a two-run single in the Phillies’ four-run, first inning against Boston.
Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard walked three of the first four hitters he faced, bringing Ruiz to the plate with the bases loaded.
Ruiz delivered with a base hit to center field that scored Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino for a 2-0 lead. Ty Wigginton followed with a sacrifice fly to left field that allowed Hunter Pence to come home. After Ruiz stole second, John Mayberry Jr.’s double down the left-field line plated Ruiz, which gave the Phillies a 4-0 lead.
In 16 games this month, Ruiz is hitting .442 (23-for-52) with 19 RBI, four doubles and four home runs and has struck out only three times. For the year, Ruiz is hitting .371.
The Red Sox scored their first run off Cole Hamels in the third inning courtesy of Mike Aviles’ solo homer in the third. Boston cut Philadelphia’s lead to 4-2 when Cody Ross doubled to lead off the fourth and later scored on Daniel Nava’s sacrifice fly.
The Red Sox went down in order in the fifth.
Although Bard retired six of the seven hitters he faced in the second and third innings, control issues remained a problem. He hit Ruiz in the third and then walked two more in the fourth.
In the bottom of the fifth, Pence took Bard deep with his 10th home run, a solo shot, that put the Phillies ahead 5-2. One out later, Bard hit Ty Wigginton with a pitch, and the ball then hit catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the ear. After being attended to by team trainers, he left the game.
NOTES: Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was given a one-game suspension Friday for an on-field incident on Tuesday with home plate umpire Bob Davidson, who was also suspended by MLB for a game. Both served their suspensions Friday. … Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco was out of the lineup for the second consecutive game with a bruised knee. … DH David Ortiz is expected to play first base during this series. He appeared in just two games (13 innings) at first base last season.
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