» Boston Sweeps Phillies in Weekend Warm-up Series for Opening Day

Boston Sweeps Phillies in Weekend Warm-up Series for Opening Day

The Phillies and the Boston Red Sox locked up in weekend series at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Stadium which served as a warm-up for each club’s Opening Day on Monday, April 2.

On Friday night, young lefthander Cole Hamels started and got pounded for 5 runs on 4 home runs over his 5 innings of work and Phillies bats fell fallow, aside from 1st baseman Ryan Howard scoring on 3rd baseman Wes Helm’s doubleplay ball as Boston took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the 9th. Boston won the game by a 6-5 score as the Phillies rallied late but couldn’t come all the way back.

Hamels, who was charged with the loss, gave up single runs in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings on solo shots by leftfielder Manny Ramirez, 2nd baseman Dustin Pedroia and rightfielder J.D. Drew respectively and a two-run shot to 1st baseman Kevin Youkilis in the 5th inning. Hamels gave up a total of 6 hits, walked none and struck out 4 during his stint. The Phillies bulpen largely shut the door on Boston, aside from the one run in the 7th inning off of reliever Clay Condrey which turned out to be the game winner — an RBI single by infielder Alex Cora. Phils Relievers Joseph Bisenius, Ryan Madson and Tom Gordon held Boston hitless in the 6th, 8th and 9th innings respectively.

In the meantime, Boston’s starter Julian Tavarez pitched a solid 5 2/3 innings giving up just 1 run on 6 hits and striking out 2 and reinforcing his his wish come true, a place in Boston’s starting rotation. He was relieved by lefthander J.C. Romero who got the final out in the 6th.

In the Phillies 9th inning, after Kyle Snyder struck out leftfielder Jayson Werth who led off the inning, Helms singled to centerfield for his 2nd hit of the game. Centerfielder Aaron Rowand then flied out to center for the 2nd out. Outfielder Ron Calloway then singled to left centerfield sending Helms to 2nd base. Catcher Carlos Ruiz singled to center for his 2nd hit, scoring Helms and advancing Calloway to 2nd base. Calloway took 3rd base on a Boston fielding error and Ruiz took 2nd base on fielder indifference. Abraham Nunez, now playing shortstop, was walked. Snyder was yanked and relieved by Travis Hughes who surrendered a 2 run single by infielder Greg Dobbs scoring Calloway and Ruiz. Then infielder Brent Abernathy singled scoring Nunez. Hughes, who was credited with the save, then struck out pinch hitter Michael Bourne to end the game.

**************

On Saturday, Phils starter Adam Easton went 3 innings giving up 6 runs on 8 hits and Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka surrendered 3 Phillies runs on 2 hits while walking 4 and striking out 7 in 4 innings of work as Boston upended the Phillies by a 7-5 score.

Designated hitter David Ortiz put Boston on the board first with a solo homer in the 1st inning. Boston got 2 runs in the 2nd inning on Dustin Pedroia’s RBI single. The Phils got on the board in their half of the second on Nunez’s RBI double. 3-1 Boston after 2 innings.

Boston scored 3 more runs in the 3rd inning as 3rd baseman Mike Lowell singled in 2 and centerfielder Coco Crisp singled in the other run.

The Phils returned the favor in their half of the 3rd with a 2 run homer by outfielder Pat Burrell. 6-3 Boston after 3 innings.

Phils non-roster pitcher J. De La Cruz got the side out in the 4h inning, as did Boston reliever Javier Lopez. Phils reliever Antonio Alfonseca surrendered a solo homer to Boston catcher Jason Varitek in the 5th inning.

Phils reliever Matt Smith and Boston reliever Brendan Donnelly threw zeros in the 6th inning. Phils reliever Geoff Geary had a perfect 7th inning. But lefthanded reliever Hideki Okajima surrendered a solo homer to Greg Dobbs in the Phillies 7th inning. 7-4 Boston.

Non-rostered reliever K. Kendrick was perfect for the Phils in retiring the BoSox in the 8th and 9th innings. Non-rostered Boston reliever M. James in the Phillies 8th inning. Catcher Carlos Ruiz hit a one out solo homer for the Phils off of Boston reliever Joel Piniero to end the scoring.

The scores, boxscores and recaps for these and all Friday and Saturday games can be found by clicking here and here.

The Phillies have Sunday off, although Tom Glavine and the New York Mets face Chris Carpenter and the St. Louis Cardinals open the regular season on Sunday in St. Louis and San Francisco and Oakland play their final exhibition game on Sunday.

The scores, boxscores and recaps for these games can be found by clicking here.

The Phillies host the Atlanta Braves for opening day at Citizens Bank Stadium as Brett Myers duels John Smoltz. The scorees, boxscores and recaps for for this and all Monday games can be found by clicking here.