The potential World Series preview has gone the wrong way for the Red Sox, whose new-and-improved offense, complete with Arian Gonzalez in right field, could produce only one run—and that off the bat of John Lackey.
The Red Sox fell behind early, with Philadelphia scoring in the second inning when Raul Ibanez followed up Shane Victorino’s leadoff double with an RBI single. Otherwise, though, Lackey was very impressive through the first six innings, allowing just the one run while striking out four men.
Lackey ensured that would be enough, too, by bringing home Josh Reddick with an unexpected double to deep left in the fifth. Unfortunately, one not-terribly-bad pitch cost him the game. A seventh-inning curveball stayed out over the middle, and while it was dipping down out of the zone, Raul Ibanez put a good swing on it, and smacked the ball into the stands in right.
The 2-1 lead proved to be enough. The Red Sox went down in order in both the eighth and ninth innings to Michael Stutes and Antonio Bastardo, sending the Sox to 1-5 on their National League road trip.