Red Sox closer Matt Barnes celebrates after escaping a ninth-inning jam Saturday night, preserving Boston’s 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Chris Szagola/Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — Xander Bogaerts and Danny Santana hit consecutive home runs in the sixth inning, Matt Barnes retired Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins to strand the potential tying run in the ninth, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 Saturday night for their fourth straight win.
Nathan Eovaldi (5-2) ended a streak of three no-decisions, allowing two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Four relievers combined for one-run, two-hit relief, and AL East-leading Boston improved to a season-high 11 games over .500 at 29-18.
Philadelphia has lost four in a row and six of seven, dropping two games under .500 for the first time this year at 22-24. The Phillies went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position, left 10 runners on base and struck out 13 times – the 14th time in May reaching double digits and 29th time in 46 games this season.
Ronald Torreyes singled leading off the ninth and Jean Segura walked with one out. Harper grounded to first baseman Bobby Dalbec, whose off-line throw to second was reeled in by Bogearts as the shortstop managed to keep a foot on the base, with Segura waving an arm and possibly obstructing his view.
Barnes then struck out Hoskins on four knuckle-curves, the last in the dirt, for his 11th save in 12 chances.
Harper struck out three times in an 0-for-5 night and is in a 2-for-25 slide with 13 strikeouts. Bothered by a shoulder injury that forced him from a game against Toronto last week, he is hitless in his last 16 at-bats.
Boston took a 2-0 lead in the third off Spencer Howard (0-1), who made his first start this season after three relief appearances.
Eovaldi and Kiké Hernández each drew a walk, and Rafael Devers followed with a double for the only hit Howard allowed in three innings. Bogaerts added a sacrifice fly,
Odubel Herrera cut the gap to 2-1 with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, but Bogaerts and Santana homered in a three-pitch span from Sam Coonrod starting the sixth. Bogaert has 10 homers this season, and Santana hit his second in as many nights since his contract was selected Friday from Triple-A Worcester.
Hoskins hit a solo homer inside the left-field foul pole in the bottom half, reaching 100 home runs in 450 games. He is the third-fastest among Phillies, behind Ryan Howard (325) and Chuck Klein (390).
Santana was hit by a Howard pitch in the second inning, Segura was hit by Phillips Valdez in the seventh and Hoskins was plunked in the ribs by Darwinzon Hernández with the bases loaded later in the seventh.
Hernández struck out Brad Miller with a fastball to strand the bases full.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Outfielder Alex Verdugo was out of the Boston lineup on Saturday night after straining his left hamstring on Friday. “It’s nothing serious,” Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said, hoping Verdugo could play Tuesday.. … Left-hander Chris Sale, returning from Tommy John surgery that has sidelined him since Aug. 13, 2019, threw from flat ground.
Philies: Left-hander Matt Moore was placed on the 10-day IL because of low back spasms.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.