The Red Sox dropped the third of this four game series against Philadelphia, losing 4-3 thanks to missed opportunities and a handful of solo home runs.
May 29, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder
Jacoby Ellsbury(2) legs out a lead off triple during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
The game felt like it should have been in the bag right from the outset. To start the game Jacoby Ellsbury rifled a ball to centerfielder Ben Revere who disastrously misplayed the ball, turning what could have been an out into three bases. Following the leadoff triple, Dustin Pedroia hit a sacrifice fly to put the Sox up 1-0 very quickly.
Phillies starter, Kyle Kendrick would barely settle down, as the Sox continued to tag him all night, but they just couldn’t capitalize. In the third, Pedroia attempted to steal second with two outs and Daniel Nava on third, but was gunned down by Erik Kratz, stranding the dangerous Mike Napoli at the plate, and potentially costing some runs. Two innings later, the Sox once again failed to string anything together after a leadoff walk was given to Stephen Drew.
Entering the sixth, the Phillies were up 3-1, courtesy of three solo shots, two of which might not make it out of the park anywhere other than the snug confines of Citizens Bank Park. Daniel Nava responded in kind, taking a Kendrick offering out to right field to lead off the sixth. Then a miss by Ryan Howard, followed by a walk gave the Sox two men on and no one out. But the inning was quickly wrapped up thanks to a Jarrod Saltalamacchia fly out, and Mike Carp grounding into a double play. The Sox followed suit in their half of the seventh as well, courtesy of a one out double by Jose Iglesias and Jonny Gomes getting hit by Phillies reliever Antonio Bastardo, and then being stranded by Ellsbury and Nava.
Koji Uehara, who got the Sox out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh, gave up the deciding run in the eight, as Dominic Brown took him deep to right, on another ball that might not have gotten out in any other stadium, to put the Phillies up 4-2.
That last run would prove to be all the Phillies needed as a late rally by the Sox fell just short. Stephen Drew walked, and Jonny Gomes singled to give the Sox two on, and two out, with Jacoby Ellsbury stepping into the box. Ellsbury hit a double that scored Drew, but Gomes was stopped at third, bringing the score to 4-3. Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon then got Daniel Nava to ground out on the first pitch he saw to slam the door on the Sox rally.