BOSTON SPORTS WAVE

Nick Pivetta Struggles Against Former Team as Boston Red Sox Lose, 5-4, to Phillies; Christian Vazquez’s Base-Running Mistake Proves to Be Costly

Nick Pivetta and the Red Sox fell to the Phillies Sunday afternoon, as they head into the All-Star Break with a series loss.

The Red Sox drew first blood with a solo homer from Xander Bogaerts in the second. The Phillies would strike back just an inning later, as a two-RBI single off the bat of J.T. Realmuto put the Phillies up 2-1.

In the fourth, Ronald Torreyes blasted a three-run homer to put the Phillies up 5-1, as Pivetta was replaced after just four innings.

Pivetta ended his day allowing five runs (four earned) while striking out four and walking two. He threw 76 pitches, 48 strikes, 35 fastballs, 26 knuckle curves, and 15 sliders. The former Phillie moves to 7-4 on the year, as he was issued the loss.

Alex Verdugo hit an RBI groundout to make it 5-2 in the fifth. In the sixth, with Hunter Renfroe on first, Christian Vazquez tried to extend his single to a double but was thrown out doing so. Bobby Dalbec singled home Hunter Renfroe, and Christian Arroyo doubled home Bobby Dalbec.

Yacksel Rios, Darwinzon Hernandez, Hirokazu Sawamura, Adam Ottavino, and Matt Barnes would toss a combined five scoreless frames out of the bullpen.

The base-running mistake from Vazquez proved to be costly, as the Red Sox weren’t able to muster any more runs, as Ranger Suarez tossed a seven-out save to capture the 5-4 win for the Phillies.

The Red Sox move to 55-36 on the season, and head to the All-Star break dropping four of their last five games.

For now, Boston heads to the break, as five players will represent the Red Sox in the All-Star Game. They’ll pick back up again as they play the Yankees on Thursday in a four-game series, and will face the Rays, Blue Jays, and Yankees in a crucial 18-game stretch.

(Photo of Nick Pivetta/Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

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Nick Pivetta Struggles Against Former Team as Boston Red Sox Lose, 5-4, to Phillies; Christian Vazquez’s Base-Running Mistake Proves to Be Costly