BOSTON (AP) — Kyle Schwarber didn’t need any extra time to get over the jet lag of flying to London and back.
The Phillies’ designated hitter hit the first pitch of the game 444 feet for a home run, then added another 400-footer in the fifth inning on Tuesday night to lead Philadelphia to a 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
“I’m sure there will be some people who are a little bit tired, spacey, whatever it is,” said Schwarber, back at Fenway Park for the first time since playing with the Red Sox on their 2021 AL Championship Series team. “I’m going to be aggressive.”
Zack Wheeler (8-3) won his eighth straight decision, allowing one run on three hits over seven innings, striking out four and walking one. He did not give up a hit to any of the final 17 batters he faced.
David Hamilton singled with one out in the ninth off José Alvarado, who retired the next two batters for his 12th save. Philadelphia (46-20) has the best record in baseball and is a season-high 10 games in front of the six-time defending NL East champion Atlanta Braves.
“Everyone was kind of emphasizing the (need to) get off to a good start. And we have,” Schwarber said. “We just really don’t like to lose, and I think that’s what fuels us.”
Bryson Stott also had two hits for the Phillies, who picked up a pair of unearned runs when Boston first baseman Dominic Smith dropped an easy toss that should have ended the fourth inning.
It was Philadelphia’s first game back in the U.S. after splitting the two-game London Series with the New York Mets last weekend. The Phillies flew straight to Boston on Sunday, arriving just after midnight, and had Monday off to get acclimated again.
Schwarber was ready to go.
He hit the first pitch from Kutter Crawford (2-6) for the 37th leadoff homer of his career, and his sixth this season. After striking out in the third, Schwarber led off the fifth and sent a 1-0 pitch 427 feet to right to make it 4-1.
“It’s definitely a tone setter for us when he goes out there and does that,” Wheeler said. “I think that’s why he’s hitting leadoff for us. I know, as a starter, if somebody leads off with a home run, it’s kind of a dagger.”
Crawford allowed four runs in all, two earned, on six hits, striking out eight and walking one in six innings.
Defensive Struggles
With the game tied 1-all, two outs in the fourth and runners on second and third, David Dahl hit one off the end of his bat to the right side of the infield. Red Sox second baseman Enmanuel Valdéz fielded it and made the gentle throw to first, but Smith let it deflect off the edge of his glove.
Bryce Harper, who led off with a walk, scored easily, and Stott took off for home, scoring without a throw. Garrett Stubbs singled Dahl to third before Crawford got Johan Rojas on a groundout to end the inning.
Red Sox center fielder Rob Refsnyder also made an error, misplaying Stott’s second-inning single for an extra base. But Crawford retired the next three batters to end the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: Placed three-time All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto on the 10-day injured list and said he will need about a month to recover from surgery on the cartilage in his right knee. Stubbs was in the lineup at catcher in the series opener, and the Phillies recalled catcher Rafael Marchán from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill Realmuto’s spot on the roster.
Red Sox: OF Masataka Yoshida was back in the lineup for the first time since April 28, when he jammed his right thumb. 1B/OF Garrett Cooper was designated for assignment to make room on the roster.
UP NEXT
Boston RHP Nick Pivetta (3-4) will face Phillies LHP Christopher Sanchez (3-3) in the second game of the three-game series.
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