18 year veteran infielder Brandon Phillips got his chance to shine for the first time Wednesday afternoon in a Boston Red Sox uniform. And he certainly didn’t disappoint. Phillips hit a two out, two run homer in the ninth inning at SunTrust Park to lead Boston to a 9-8 win over the Atlanta Braves helping the visitors finish off a three game sweep.
It looked as if the Braves were gonna salvage the last game of the series taking a 7-1 lead after five innings. RBI by Ronald Acuna Jr, Kurt Suzuki, Ozzie Albies, Tyler Flowers, and a pair by Nick Markakis helped build the lead. But the never die Red Sox rallied behind a six run eighth inning to tie it. Blake Swihart hit a two run double, Andrew Benintendi an RBI single, Steve Pearce an RBI sacrifice fly, and then a two run single by Ian Kinsler made it 7-7. Mookie Betts came up to pinch hit with the bases loaded with two outs, but struck out looking. Starting the day resting key guys including Betts, Eduardo Nunez, Kinsler, Pearce, and Xander Bogaerts manager Alex Cora used all of them as pinch hitters during the eighth inning rally.
Atlanta (76-63) regained the lead when Freddie Freeman hit a two out pinch hit solo homer in the bottom of the eighth off Brandon Workman to make it 8-7. Swihart popped out to begin the top of the ninth, before Benintendi singled. Pearce then struck out looking, setting it up for Phillips. Phillips hit a no doubter on the first pitch he saw from Braves reliever A.J. Minter, into the fifth or sixth row of the left field bleachers. Craig Kimbrel allowed a walk in the bottom of the ninth, but struck out two including Flowers swinging to end the game for his 38th save. Benintendi had three hits to lead the way for the 97-44 Red Sox, while Christian Vasquez had a pair of hits. Flowers, Ender Inciarte, and Markakis all had two hits for the Braves.
Hector Valazquez started on the hill for Boston and went the first 4.0 innings allowed two runs on five hits. Drew Pomeranz was roughed up in just 0.1 inning giving up five runs on three hits. Workman (4-0) got credit for the win as the Sox used a total of six pitchers on the day. Mike Foltynewicz pitched well and ended up with a no decision for the Braves, allowing just one, two hits, with five strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Jonny Venters and Brad Brach each got a hold, and Minter (4-3) was tagged in the loss by giving up the Phillips homer in the ninth. Major League teams had been 487-0 this season when leading by six or more runs entering the eighth inning, until Boston changed that Wednesday afternoon.
Boston now has a day off as they head back to Fenway Park to open up a nine game homestand with the first of three on Friday night with the Houston Astros at 7:10. David Price will toe the rubber for the Sox in the opener, while the Astros counter with Gerrit Cole.
