More of the same: Red Sox 5, Phillies 3

The Phillies were hoping that Zack Wheeler could put a stop to their four-game losing streak. But like most outings by Phillies starters this season, what Wheeler gave them wasn’t good enough. He allowed five runs (although only four of them were earned) in 5.1 innings, and the Phillies lost their fifth in a row, by a score of 5-3 to the Boston Red Sox.

The evening started off on an ominous note when a fan fell from the stands into the bullpen, delaying the start of the game. When action finally began, the ominousness continued as Kyle Schwarber committed an error in left field on the first play of the game. That runner came around to score three batters later, giving the Red Sox an early 1-0 lead.

The Red Sox added two more in the third, and as has been the case far too often lately, the Phillies found themselves in an early hole.

Facing a definitely-past-his-prime Chris Sale, the Phillies’ offense didn’t show much life until the fourth inning when their first four batters got hits, and they tied the game at three.

Unfortunately, that burst was all the Phillies had. Aside from a few scattered base runners, the Phillies bats were quiet over the next four innings.

The Red Sox offense was not nearly as quiet. The first two batters Wheeler faced in the sixth reached base, and after a sacrifice fly scored one of them, Wheeler’s night was over. Conor Brogdon entered the game to face Enmanuel Valdez who greeted him with an RBI single.

The Phillies looked like they might pull off a comeback in the ninth when they got two runners aboard against Boston closer Kenley Jansen. But Kyle Schwarber struck out on what would have been ball four, and Trea Turner looked frighteningly overmatched to end the game.

They’ll be back at it tomorrow night, when Bailey Falter will be asked to stop the losing streak. But if Zack Wheeler wasn’t able to stop the bleeding, it’s tough to have much confidence that Falter will fare any better.