Embarrassing: Red Sox 11, Phillies 3

After quite frankly a miserable series vs. the Miami Marlins, the Phillies were in desperate need of a good start to this series against the Boston Red Sox. Especially in need of a good start, was Aaron Nola.

Things did not get off on the right foot.

Nola allowed two runs in the first, one on a high chopper with a runner at third, and then a scorching double to left by Rafael Devers. He’s been killed by bad first innings over his last few starts, and sadly this was a trend that carried over into tonight’s game.

He settled down afterwards, and finally the bats seemed to come to life in the bottom of the third, with Jimmy Cigs launching a titanic 433-foot bomb to left center field to tie the game. Segura has struggled of late, just hitting .175 over his last 10 games, so hopefully this can get him on track once again to his pace before the injury.

Nola looked well on his way to a fine outing, all until a disastrous fifth inning. In typical Phillies fashion, the inning actually started with two strikeouts! Nola struck out Marwin Gonzalez and then pitcher Martin Perez, but then allowed a home run to Danny Santana on a hanging breaking ball. Alright, no worries, one run game, still in this.

Well, about that.

A single for Alex Verdugo, walk to J.D Martinez, then Xander Bogaerts singled to left field to drive in Verdugo but Alec Bohm cut the throw to home plate off, had Martinez caught between second and third, and threw it away. Martinez scores, Bogaerts to third, 5-2 Red Sox.

I don’t know what this team exactly does during their defensive drills, but they might want to change it up because clearly it isn’t working! The lack of fundamentals from this team is shocking and disturbing. You don’t win many ballgames giving your opposition runs like this. Kids, shield your eyes, this ain’t pretty.

Alec Bohm would cut the lead to 3 with an RBI single, but in the very next inning Rafael Devers smashed a two run shot to make it 8-3 Boston and effectively ending any shot the Phillies had left. Christian Vazquez added a three-run double in the top of the ninth to add insult to injury. This miserable stretch of baseball continues, and the Phillies drop game one of this series and fall below .500.

Spencer Howard gets the nod tomorrow night in his return to the big leagues, hopefully the kid can give the team a much needed solid outing.