April 09, 2015
Xander Bogaerts had three hits and three RBIs to back Justin Masterson, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 Thursday night.
Masterson (1-0) allowed two runs and three hits in six innings, striking out seven in his first start for the Red Sox since 2009. He also had a career-best two hits and an RBI.
The Red Sox won two of three in the interleague series and will move on to Yankee Stadium to face their AL East rivals.
Phillies righty David Buchanan (0-1) struggled, giving up six runs and seven hits in three innings.
Buchanan retired the first two batters in the third before finding trouble. Infield singles by David Ortiz and Hanley Ramirez and a walk to Pablo Sandoval loaded the bases. Shane Victorino followed with another infield hit to third to drive in a run. Ryan Hanigan walked on four pitches to force in another run.
Bogaerts then looped a 3-2 pitch just inside the right-field foul line for a bases-clearing triple as the ball took a strange hop and trickled away from right fielder Jeff Francoeur. Masterson lined a single up the middle to make it 6-0.
The Phillies cut it to 6-2 with a pair of two-out runs in the bottom half. Freddy Galvis scored on a wild pitch after reaching on an infield single and Chase Utley had an RBI single.
Masterson, who was drafted by Boston in 2006, was traded to Cleveland six years ago. The right-hander signed a $9.5 million, one-year deal to return to the Red Sox after going 7-9 with a 5.88 ERA for the Indians and St. Louis last year.
The teams wore retro 1915 caps. The Red Sox beat the Phillies in the World Series that season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: A day after saying knuckleballer Steven Wright will start against the Yankees on Saturday, manager John Farrell is now leaning toward Joe Kelly. The right-hander was slowed by a right biceps injury in spring training and was expected to make one more rehab start, but he impressed in a bullpen session on Wednesday.
Phillies: RF Domonic Brown began a rehab assignment at Single-A Clearwater, going 0 for 2 with two strikeouts. The 2013 All-Star has been sidelined since March 19 because of tendinitis in his left Achilles tendon.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: LHP Wade Miley makes his Red Sox debut in the opener of a three-game series at the New York Yankees. Miley was 8-12 with a 4.34 ERA last year in Arizona.
Phillies: RHP Jerome Williams makes his first start of the season in the opener of a three-game series against Washington. Williams was 4-2 with a 2.83 ERA in nine starts for Philadelphia in 2014 after being released by two teams. LHP Gio Gonzalez goes for the Nationals.
