It was a battle of the pitchers Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park.
Eduardo Rodriguez turned in another strong outing, tossing 6 2/3 scoreless innings but ran into trouble in the seventh and allowed the Phillies to tie the game at 1-1. The southpaw fanned 12 batters before his night was over, marking the sixth time in his career he has racked up at least 10 strikeouts in a game.
Aaron Nola was just as strong, though, as Boston struggled against the righty before getting to him in the seventh.
The game remained close for all nine innings, but it was the Red Sox who took the lead in the ninth once and for all in a 2-1 win Saturday night against the Phillies.
With the win, the Red Sox jumped to 78-70, while the Phillies slipped to 76-71.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Duel.
We had a good old-fashioned pitcher’s duel on our hands Saturday night.
ON THE BUMP
— Rodriguez looked strong on the mound, tossing four 1-2-3 innings and amassed 12 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings of work.
The Phillies had a chance to tie or take the lead in the seventh when Bryce Harper singled to lead things off. Rodriguez responded by getting the next two batters to strike out, but Cesar Hernandez singled with two outs to keep the inning alive.
Rodriguez plunked Adam Haseley to load the bags and walked in the tying run after a battle with Maikel Franco. The lefty’s night was over after giving up one earned run on four hits with 12 strikeouts.
— Josh Taylor struck out Phil Gosselin to end the threat in the seventh.
— Matt Barnes got out of a two-on, one-out jam to pitch a scoreless eighth.
— Brandon Workman walked the leadoff man, but was able to get out of the jam and end the game with a strikeout.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox’s bats were quiet and accounted for just one hit through five innings, which came off the bat of Xander Bogaerts with a one-out single in the fourth.
— Boston tried to get something going in the seventh with the game still scoreless when Rafael Devers led the inning off with a walk before J.D. Martinez smacked a single to center for just the second hit for the Red Sox.
Christian Vazquez drove in the first run of the game with a double to make it 1-0.
Nola walked Jackie Bradley Jr. to load the bases, but was able to get out of the jam without any further damage.
— Mitch Moreland led the ninth off with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Chris Owings. Vazquez connected in the next at-bat with a single to move Owings to third with nobody out.
Brock Holt was called upon to pinch-hit for Gorkys Hernandez and worked a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Andrew Benintendi put the ball in the air with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to drive in Owings for the 2-1 Red Sox lead.
— Vazquez led the way with two hits, while Bogaerts, Martinez, Moreland and Gorkys Hernandez each had one.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Rodriguez has been strong all season.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox wrap up their quick two-game set against the Phillies on Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Citizens Bank Park is set for 1:05 p.m. ET.
