The Red Sox faced a tough task in game two of their four game interleague series with the Philadelphia Phillies as they took on Cliff Lee, one of the National League’s best pitchers.
Boston countered with the struggling Ryan Dempster, who was extremely wild and ineffective in his last two starts. Tonight was a different story as Dempster was on his game, just about matching Lee pitch for pitch.
May 28, 2013; Boston, MA USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher
Ryan Dempster(46) pitches during the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Lee was just a bit better as he spun eight dominant innings and the Phillies edged the Sox 3-1 snapping Boston’s 4-game win streak.
After the Phillies’ Michael Young hit a solo homer in the top of the first inning off Dempster to make it 1-0, Dustin Pedroia continued his hot hitting with an RBI single in the bottom of the first to drive in Jacoby Ellsbury to tie things at 1-1.
It stayed that way until the top of the seventh when John Mayberry, Jr. led off with a single, was sacrificed over to second and scored on an RBI single by Erik Kratz.
Dempster then held serve and allowed nothing further in the inning and ended up going seven innings allowing two runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
After two horrible performances in a row, Dempster finally rebounded to his effective, early season form. He’s going to give the Sox plenty of innings this season and they need them to be more good than bad. Tonight was an encouraging sign that maybe he has solved his issues.
May 28, 2013; Boston, MA USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Cliff Lee(33) pitches during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Meanwhile, Lee was in vintage form, mowing down the Sox lineup with his usual economy and effectiveness of pitches.
He allowed only two hits after the first inning and threw nine pitches or less in three of his eight innings of work. It’s amazing that Lee could not buy a win last season as he only went 6-9 but with a 3.16 ERA.
With the win Lee has already matched his win total from last year as he is now 6-2, 2.34 on the year. He allowed just the one run on four hits with eight strikeouts and zero walks.
Domonic Brown added some insurance for Lee in the top of the ninth by homering into the Red Sox bullpen, his 11th of the year and second in as many nights.
Jonathan Papelbon then made his grand return to Fenway by surprisingly relieving Lee to start the ninth even though Lee’s pitch count was only at 95.
Papelbon was his usual, dominant self as he retired the Sox in order among a chorus of boos for his 10th save of the season.
The series now shifts to Citizens Bank Park for the final two games. Tomorrow night it will be John Lackey for Boston going against the Phillies Kyle Kendrick at 7:05.