The Boston Red Sox got three RBI each from Rafael Devers and Christian Vazquez on Friday night, taking down the Philadelphia Phillies 11-3 in the first game of a three game interleague series at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Xander Bogaerts had an RBI groundout in the top of the first, and Devers added an RBI double for a quick 2-0 lead for Boston. The Phillies tied it when Jean Segura hit a two-run homerun in the bottom of the third. The Sox took the lead for good when Danny Santana, who was activated shortly before the game, hit a solo homerun to right field in the fifth. Bogaerts also had a two-run single in the inning to make it 5-2. The visitors added on when Hunter Renfroe hit an RBI single in the sixth, Devers hammered a two-run homerun to right in the seventh, and Vazquez cleared the bases with a three-run double in the ninth.
Martin Perez (2-2) picked up his second pitching win of the season allowing three runs on five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Alex Verdugo had three hits, while JD Martinez, Bogaerts, Devers, and Vazquez had two each. The Sox have won three straight and are now 10 games over .500 for the first time this season at 28-18. Segura had three hits and Alec Bohm had two in the loss for Philadelphia (22-23). Aaron Nola (3-4) was pegged with the loss on the hill allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits with one walk and nine strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Game 2 of the series is Saturday night at 7:15 p.m., with the Sox sending RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 4.50 ERA) to the mound against RHP Spencer Howard (0-0, 8.31) for the Phillies.
