The much-hyped series with the Red Sox started on Tuesday. Oh, the Sawks, the best offensive team in the majors, but just off two series losses to the Padres at Fenway and the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Philadelphia was next up.
The Sox were without Carl Crawford and their DH. The Phillies were on their fourth closer. In fact, the bullpen, with the exception of Danys Baez, was all from Triple-A.
Tuesday night was a vaunted match-up between Josh Beckett, having a comeback year, and Cliff Lee. It took Lee just five pitches to dispatch the 'patient' Red Sox hitters in the first, which pretty much set the tone for the rest of the game. Lee threw a complete game two-hit shut-out. Domonic Brown hit a two-run homer in the second, then doubled in the fifth and scored on a Lee sac fly. Phillies 3, Red Sox 0.
Everyone predicted a slugfest for Wednesday, which pitted rookie Vance (the Vanimal) Worley against struggling veteran John Lackey. Before the game there was a lot of whining about the DH, or lack thereof. Francona decided to move Adrian Gonzalez to right and put Ortiz at first. Yawn. Worley was super, attacking the strike zone and piling up the outs. Lackey too looked good. Raul Ibanez singled in the first run of the game, in the second. The Sox tied it on a booming double in the fifth by Lackey. (!) Ibanez then untied it in the seventh with a solo homer to right. worley went seven and Stutes and Bastardo came in for, respectively, the hold and the save. Phillies 2, Red Sox 1.
Today's matinee between Jon Lester and Cole Hamels fizzled in the fourth when Adrian Gonzalez drove Hamels out of the game with a wicked liner that took off the pitcher's glove. Hamels finished the play, then got the final out of the inning, but did not come back. X-rays were negative for what is being called a contusion. David Herndon came in and gave up three runs pretty much on bloops. Drew Carpenter later gave up back-to-back shots. The Phillies did nothing till the ninth, when Howard hit a two-run homer off of Bobby Jenks. Red Sox 5, Phillies 2.
In his postgame presser, Charlie Manuel said Hamels is expected to make his next start. Whew.
