Schwarber hits 2 homers, Wheeler picks up 8th straight win in Phillies' 4-1 victory over Red Sox
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 11: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies, left, is greeted by Nick Castellanos #8 of the Philadelphia Phillies after hitting a one run home run and second home run of the game during the fifth inning of a game
BOSTON - Kyle Schwarber homered on the first pitch of the game — then added another solo shot in the fifth inning — and Zack Wheeler won his eighth straight decision on Tuesday night, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
Wheeler (8-3) has not lost in 10 starts since April 14. He allowed one run on three hits over seven innings, striking out four and walking one to help Philadelphia improve to a season-high 10 games in front of the six-time defending NL East champion Atlanta Braves.
Phillies pitchers retired 14 straight batters before David Hamilton singled with one out in the ninth, but José Alvarado retired the next two batters for his 12th save.
Bryson Stott also had two hits for the Phillies, who picked up a pair of unearned runs when Boston first baseman Dominic Smith dropped an easy toss that should have ended the fourth inning.
It was Philadelphia’s first game back in the U.S. after splitting the two-game London Series with the New York Mets last weekend. The Phillies flew straight to Boston on Sunday, arriving just after midnight, and had Monday off to get acclimated again.
Schwarber was ready to go.
The designated hitter, a member of the 2021 Red Sox team that went to the AL Championship Series, hit the first pitch from Kutter Crawford (2-6) a projected 444 feet to right-center field. It was the 37th leadoff homer of Schwarber’s career, and his sixth this season.
After striking out in the third, Schwarber led off the fifth and sent a 1-0 pitch 427 feet to right to make it 4-1.
Crawford allowed four runs in all, two earned, on six hits, striking out eight and walking one in six innings.
Defensive Struggles
With the game tied 1-all, two outs in the fourth and runners on second and third, David Dahl hit one off the end of his bat to the right side of the infield. Red Sox second baseman Enmanuel Valdéz fielded it and made the gentle throw to first, but Smith let it deflect off the edge of his glove.
Bryce Harper, who led off with a walk, scored easily, and Stott took off for home, scoring without a throw. Garrett Stubbs singled Dahl to third before Crawford got Johan Rojas on a groundout to end the inning.
Red Sox center fielder Rob Refsnyder also made an error, misplaying Stott’s second-inning single for an extra base. But Crawford retired the next three batters to end the inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: Placed three-time All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto on the 10-day injured list and said he will need about a month to recover from surgery on the cartilage in his right knee. Stubbs was in the lineup at catcher in the series opener, and the Phillies recalled catcher Rafael Marchán from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill Realmuto’s spot on the roster.
Red Sox: Outfielder Masataka Yoshida was back in the lineup for the first time since April 28, when he jammed his right thumb. 1B/OF Garrett Cooper was designated for assignment to make room on the roster.
UP NEXT
Boston RHP Nick Pivetta (3-4) will face Phillies LHP Christopher Sanchez (3-3) in the second game of the three-game series.