Red Sox Break 9-Game Losing Streak, Beat Phillies Behind Big Day From Devers
By GETHIN COOLBAUGH, Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox ended their nine-game losing streak, with Rafael Devers homering and driving in three runs Wednesday to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3.
Devers finished with three hits. Jackie Bradley Jr. drove in two runs to help Boston avoid its first 10-game losing streak since 2014.
Philadelphia had won four straight after a 13-6 romp to open the two-game series Tuesday.
Red Sox starter Kyle Hart allowed two runs with four walks and five strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings in an opener role. The 27-year-old gave up seven runs in two innings in his major league debut against Tampa Bay last Thursday.
Austin Brice (1-0) struck out two over 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Boston held an opponent to three or fewer runs for the first time since a 5-3 win over Toronto on Aug. 9.
Phil Gosselin, Didi Gregorius and Rhys Hoskins each had an RBI for Philadelphia. Phillies starter Jake Arrieta (1-3) surrendered four runs on five hits while walking four and striking out three over 4 1/3 innings.
Devers tied it at 2 with his homer in the third after Kevin Pillar's two-out double. Bradley gave Boston a 3-2 lead with a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
Alex Verdugo doubled in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 10 games and scored when Pillar reached on a fielding error by Hoskins at first base,
Neil Walker scored in the seventh as Hoskins reached on a throwing error by shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin.
Devers doubled in the seventh and Bradley doubled in the eighth to make it 6-3. Brandon Workman worked a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.
SHAKY START
Hart pitched in and out of trouble in the first after allowing Andrew McCutchen's leadoff double and walking Hoskins and Bryce Harper to load the bases with no outs
Gosselin hit a one-out RBI single. Gregorius then flied out to center fielder Bradley, who threw out a tagging Hoskins at home plate for an apparent inning-ending double play. The Phillies challenged the tag at the plate and the call was overturned.
Hart struck out Alex Bohm to end the early rally.
BATTING FIRST
Philadelphia entered with a major league-best .268 batting average and led the majors scoring 5.72 runs per games after pounding out a season-best 16 hits and matching a season high for runs on Tuesday.
COAST TO COAST
Boston claimed right-hander Andrew Triggs off waivers from the San Francisco Giants during the game. Left-hander Stephen Gonsalves was designated for assignment. The Red Sox entered with a major league-worst 6.36 team ERA.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: INF Jean Segura (hamstring) sat for a second straight game after being injured Sunday against the Mets. He is considered day-to-day. … RF Jay Bruce (rest) had the day off after hitting a three-run homer and driving in four runs Tuesday.
Red Sox: DH J.D. Martinez (dehydration) was not in the lineup after leaving Tuesday's game in the fifth inning. … INF Christian Arroyo was reinstated from the injured list. RHP Marcus Walden was optioned to the team's alternate training site and RHP Mike Shawaryn was designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
Phillies: Will play a seven-inning doubleheader Thursday against the Blue Jays in Buffalo after their three-game series in late July was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. Manager Joe Girardi had not announced either starter.
Red Sox: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-2, 5.93 ERA) starts the first of four games in Baltimore on Thursday. He looks to bounce back after allowing a season-high eight runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Yankees on Aug. 15.
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