Ah, interleague baseball. Some hate it, some love it, and some don't care who the Phillies are playing, as long as they keep this hot streak going. They did just that tonight against the Boston Red Sox with Cole Hamels on the mound for the Phils. Carlos Ruiz would provide multiple RBI's once more in the Phillies' sixth straight win.
Reliever turned starter Daniel Bard started tonight's game for the Sox. It didn't go well for him one bit in the bottom of the first inning. After walking the bases loaded, Chooch came through with a two-run single to right. Ty Wigginton popped up a sacrifice fly, scoring Pence. After Chooch stole second (yes, he stole second), John Mayberry doubled down the line in left field to plate Chooch. 4-0 Phils.
Mike Aviles mashed a solo home run to left field in the top of the third, putting the Sox on the board. It was his sixth homer of the season. With two men on for Daniel Nava in the fourth, Nava hit a sac fly to center to score Cody Ross. 4-2 Phils.
In the bottom of the fifth, Hunter Pence reached double digits in home runs with a solo homer to left field, putting his team up 5-2.
To continue the pattern, Cody Ross would hit a solo home run to left field, cutting the Phils' lead down to two runs. Cody Ross is hated just a little bit more in Philadelphia now.
Cole Hamels' pitch count was running high by the seventh inning. At 113 pitches, he was done after seven. His final line: 7 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 K. ERA now 2.48.
With Chad Qualls in, Adrian Gonzalez sent an absolute bomb of a home run to the stands in right field, making it just a one-run ball game. Antonio Bastardo would enter the eighth to get David Ortiz out, and did just that.
Freddy Galvis provided the Phils with an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run to left field, his second of the year. 6-4 Phils.
Jonathan Papelbon, former Red Sox closer, faced his old team for the first time in his career with a 6-4 lead. Kelly Shoppach reached on an infield single, but that would be it. Pap gets the save, and the Phillies go on to win their sixth straight game, 6-4.
Game two will be tomorrow at 7:05 with Joe Blanton on the hill against Jon Lester.
