The Red Sox (63-72) faced the Phillies (54-82) for the second game of the series. It was the second time this season in which both teams faced each other for an interleague series, the first one being their overall first of the season. After a strong pitching performance from Joe Kelly last night, the Red Sox were looking to win the series while sending Wade Miley to the mound. Meanwhile, the Phillies had their rookie Alec Asher making his second Major League start. 

Even though both teams were scoreless during the first three innings, the Red Sox managed to hit Asher since the first inning. Mookie Betts began the bottom half of the first with a single and with a double the bottom half of the third. In a contrast, Miley was hitless during the first four innings. The outrageous hitting perfomance of the Red Sox began in the 4th inning with a single from David Ortiz. Asher retired Travis Shaw with a flyout, but while Rusney Castillo was batting he advanced David Ortiz with a balk and ended up surrendering a single to the Red Sox left fielder. Blake Swihart followed Castillo's single with a hit that allowed Ortiz to score and gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. Asher found himself in trouble and gave up a single to Josh Rutledge, his fourth hit allowed in the inning. After a coaching visit to the mound failed to calm down Asher, he eventually gave up a double to Jackie Bradley Jr. that scored Rusney Castillo and Blake Swihart. With the Red Sox having a 3-0 lead and only one out, Betts walked to load the bases for Brock Holt. The Red Sox third baseman hit a forceout that got Rutledge out at home, but continued with the bases loaded for Xander Bogaerts. The 22-year-old shortstop hit a little league grand slam with a double that emptied the bases, and thanks to a throwing error from Cesar Hernandez, Bogaerts scored to give Boston a 7-0 lead.

Finally the Phillies decided that it was time to take Asher out of the game, and he was replaced by Jerome Williams. With the hope to at least end the inning Williams faced Big Papi, who was batting for the second time in the inning. Ortiz hit his 30rd home run of the year and boosted the Red Sox lead to 8-0. Williams ended the inning by getting Shaw to hit a flyout.

The Phillies tried to counterattack the Red Sox in the top half of the fifth while scoring two runs thanks to a singles from Jeff Francoeur and Carlos Ruiz, and a double from Darnell Sweeney, but they rally came up short. Even though Boston didn't score again until the 8th inning, they continued to hit with doubles from Blake Swihart and Brock Holt. While Boston was putting a hitting show, Wade Miley was dealing the Phillies with only two runs allowed on four hits so manager Torey Lovullo decided to allow him to pitch the eight inning. Miley got Ruiz to groundout and struck out Freddy Galvis and Odubel Herrera. 

The Red Sox scored their ninth run of the game in the bottom half of the eight, thanks to back-to-back singles from Bradley Jr and Betts, and a walk from Brock Holt that loaded the bases with only one out. Bogaerts scored Bradley Jr. with a groundout to boost the Red Sox lead to 9-2, and Ortiz grounded to end the inning. Wade Miley took the mound in the 9th inning looking for his first complete game of the season, and even though he gave up a single to begin the inning, he managed to retired Aaron Altherr, Francoeur and Sweeney to end the game. This was just the second time during the season in which a Red Sox pitcher threw a complete game.

Game Notes:

  • Blake Swihart ended the game with a .288 batting average, the highest among catchers in the American League
  • David Ortiz now has nine career 30-homer seasons with the Red Sox, surpassing Ted Williams record with the team.
  • With 39 years and 292 days, Big Papi is the 3rd oldest player with 30 home runs in a season trailing only Darrell Evans and Barry Bonds.