Nine innings once again weren’t enough for the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies.
The two squads went into extra innings for the second straight night at Fenway Park, and Boston took home the 4-3 win in 12 innings Tuesday night on an Andrew Benintendi walk-off single. Benintendi drove in Xander Bogaerts on the play.
With the win, the Sox improved to 36-28, while the Phillies dropped to 21-42.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Close.
The Red Sox and Phillies were locked in a tight contest throughout the night, and it all came down to extra innings.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Benintendi laced a walk-off single right field, of course.
ON THE BUMP
— Left-hander David Price couldn’t have started much better, as he got through the first inning throwing only six pitches.
But things quickly shifted in the second inning. The Phillies loaded the bases with one out thanks to two walks and a Maikel Franco single. However, Price got the next two batters out and didn’t allow a run to score.
Philadelphia tied the game in the top of the third inning when Aaron Altherr crushed a two-run home run over the Green Monster.
Price retired six of seven batters over the next two innings, as only Franco reached on a walk. But the lefty ran into some more trouble in the sixth when runners reached second and third with one out. Tommy Joseph scored on a Michael Saunders forceout to tie the game again.
Price allowed three earned runs on four hits with four walks and six strikeouts over six innings. He threw 103 pitches, 63 of which were strikes.
— Robby Scott came on for the seventh inning and allowed one hit over 2/3 innings.
— Blaine Boyer got the final out of the seventh and came back on for the eighth. Howie Kendrick led off the eighth with a single, and he almost scored on a Franco double (which just barely stayed in the park), but Benintendi’s throw beat him home. An intentional walk and an infield single loaded the bases with two outs, but Freddy Galvis struck out to end the threat.
— Craig Kimbrel got the Phillies out in order in the top of the ninth in a non-save situation.
— Heath Hembree allowed back-to-back singles with one out in the top of the 10th, but he retired the next two batters on a strikeout and flyout.
— Fernando Abad also pitched dangerously in the 11th inning when runners reached first and third with two outs, but he also got out of the jam. He allowed a leadoff single in the top of the 12th, but a sweet double play started by Dustin Pedroia and another groundout ended the frame.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Sox scored once in the bottom of the first inning, but it could have been much worse for the Phillies. Boston loaded the bases with one out thanks to a Pedroia single, a Bogaerts double and a Mitch Moreland hit-by-pitch. Pedroia scored on a Benintendi walk. However, Hanley Ramirez hit into a double play to end the threat.
— Moreland quickly responded to Altherr’s homer with a solo shot of his own to deep center field. It was the first baseman’s ninth homer run of the season.
— The Red Sox had runners on first and third after a Bogaerts walk and Moreland single, and Benintendi knocked in Bogaerts with a deep single to right field.
TWEET OF THE DAY
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UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Phillies will shift to Philadelphia for two more interleague games. Left-hander Brian Johnson will get the start for the Sox opposite Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
