BOSTON — Facing Phillies veteran stalwart Aaron Nola isn’t usually a recipe for a lumber-mashing party.
But that’s exactly what the Red Sox had on Thursday night at Fenway Park, winning the rubber game, 9-3, in convincing fashion against the team with the second-best record in the Majors at 46-22.
One of the big problems for Boston through the first 68 games has been its inability to beat the good teams. Even after taking two out of three from the Phils, the Sox are 10-20 against teams with above .500 records.
“It was huge,” leadoff hitter Jarren Duran said of taking the series. “We got knocked down in the first game [a 4-1 loss on Tuesday] and then we came back and played two great games.”
Perhaps gaining some momentum against a top contender while scoring 17 runs in the last two games will pay off as the loaded Yankees come to Fenway for a three-game series this weekend.
In reality, it’s hard to know what to expect from the ‘24 Sox, who continue to get a game or two above .500, only to slip back to even or just below.
To this point, predictability isn’t a trait you’d associate when it comes to the 35-34 Sox, who needed extra innings on Sunday to salvage a split in Chicago against the White Sox, owners of the the worst record in the Majors.
“Everybody thought the must-win was Sunday in Chicago because they have the worst record in baseball,” manager Alex Cora said. “We didn’t see it that way. We show up every day, we work hard, and like I said, sometimes it’s going to be good. Sometimes it’s going to be great. Sometimes we’re going to struggle. That’s who we are.
“We have accepted that as a team and we’re going to show up every day and try to kick your [butt]. That’s the bottom line. Sometimes we will. Sometimes they’ll kick our [butt]. But that’s the bottom line.”
The vibe at Fenway during the Phillies series was a teaser for what it will be like when the Red Sox play their forever rivals from the Bronx for the first time this season.
“Looking forward to it,” said Tyler O’Neill, who is playing his first season with Boston. “I’m assuming Fenway is going to be buzzing. It’s going to be loud, and I just can’t wait to be a part of that atmosphere.”
Thursday’s onslaught was early and convincing. The Red Sox had a doubles party in the second inning, pounding four two-baggers in a four-run frame.
“Yeah, he’s probably one of the best pitchers in the league,” Duran said of Nola. “And I just thought we saw him good tonight and we just put some really good swings on the ball. We didn’t try to do too much. We were just keeping it simple and passing the baton to the next guy.”
Tanner Houck, whose transformation from bubble rotation candidate to Red Sox ace has been one of the stories of the season, usually doesn’t need four runs to win a baseball game. But the cushion proved to be handy when the righty served up a three-run double to Kyle Schwarber in the fourth.
Just as it suddenly became a close game, the Sox were just as swift at spreading out their lead when it was their turn to hit again as O’Neill supplied most of the power in a four-run fourth inning with a titanic, three-run homer off a metal overhang beyond the Monster Seats. All nine Boston starters had at least one hit.
“That’s a good pitcher on the mound over there,” O’Neill said. “Had to give our best stuff against him. It was awesome to see the guys swing the bat one through nine. We were finding barrels and hitting the ball hard, and it was really good for our confidence for sure.”
While the starting pitching has generally been consistent for the ‘24 Sox, the offense, limited by injuries, has been more boom or bust.
Boom it was in the finale against Philadelphia as Boston smoked 14 hits, including seven doubles.
Getting O’Neill hot again would be big for an offense that is waiting for two key players (Wilyer Abreu and Triston Casas) to come off the injured list.
“We believe there’s more here offensively. We’re very dynamic,” Cora said. “We’re going to put pressure on the opposition. It’s a good lineup. It’s deep. And hopefully, it gets better in a few weeks.”
