Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Jayson Werth hit a two-run homer, and Ryan Howard finished 2-for-3 with a solo shot, two RBI and two runs scored, as Philadelphia downed Boston, 5-1, in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Citizens Bank Park.
Shane Victorino also knocked in a run for the Phillies, who have won two in a row and six of eight. Jimmy Rollins was 1-for-3 before exiting the game with a mild right calf strain.
Cole Hamels (5-2) scattered three hits and one run over seven strong innings, fanning eight with one walk. J.C. Romero picked up his second save by getting the final two outs.
"He threw very good, he had a high pitch count early. But he settled in and made it work while the other bats helped him out," noted Phillies manager Charlie Manuel of his starter.
Victor Martinez hit a first-inning homer to account for all the offense for the Red Sox, whose three-game win streak was halted.
John Lackey (4-3) was touched in defeat for six hits and four runs, including two homers, in five innings. He walked five and fanned three.
Martinez deposited a pitch into the seats in left-center with two down in the first to get Boston on the board, then Howard began the fourth with a solo blast to left.
Werth followed with a double that Sox right-fielder J.D. Drew lost in the lights, and two batters later Victorino scored Werth with a bloop single to left. The Phils later left the bases loaded when Placido Polanco grounded to third.
Howard walked with one out in the fifth, and Werth's two-run shot to the upper-deck in left made it 4-1 for Philadelphia.
Rollins singled with one out in the sixth but left the game for pinch-runner Juan Castro, who advanced to second on a Chase Utley hit with two outs and scored on Howard's cue shot against the shift on the left side.
"They make every pitcher work," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said of the team he formerly managed. "They have guys willing to go deep in the count."
Hamels did not allow a hit from Darnell McDonald's leadoff single in the third until Adrian Beltre's two-out ground-rule double in the seventh. He finished his outing with a fly out to right from Bill Hall.
David Herndon retired the side in order in the eighth, then Danys Baez put two on in the ninth with one out. Romero came on and got Drew on a grounder but hit Beltre before pinch-hitter David Ortiz flew out to center to end the game.
Hamels has won three straight outings and has not lost in his last five starts...The Phillies went just 6-12 in interleague play last season, while the Red Sox won 11 of their 18 contests...Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis walked in four plate appearances and has reached base in each of his last 21 games...Prior to the game, the Phillies sent infielder Wilson Valdez to Triple-A Lehigh Valley...Coming into the game, Boston had taken 14-of-18 matchups with Philadelphia and had won nine of their last 12 games in the Quaker City.