BOSTON — The Fenway fans were letting Bryce Harper have it, calling the Phillies’ $330 million man “overrated” and other insults that Philadelphia manager Gabe Kapler couldn’t bring himself to repeat.
Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper, right, watches the flight of his two run home run in the fifth inning during a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019. At left is Boston Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Harper then quieted them with one swing.
“He’s good at doing that, shutting them up,” Phillies starter Drew Smyly said on Wednesday night after Harper’s two-run homer propelled Philadelphia to a 5-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox. “Especially on the road.”
Harper’s homer in the fifth inning turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead, and Corey Dickerson drove in two runs with a triple and a single to help the Phillies a sweep the two-game interleague series. Harper was not available to talk to reporters after the game, but Kapler said there was an especially sweet celebration in the dugout after the home run.
“They were on him pretty good until that moment,” said Kapler, who was a member of Boston’s 2004 World Series championship team. “I’m really happy for Bryce.”
Boston started the first inning with back-to-back doubles, and Jackie Bradley Jr. homered for the second straight night to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead against Smyly. Rick Porcello (11-10) allowed just one hit through four innings before César Hernández led off the fifth with a double.
Hernández took off on a wild pitch and scored when the throw got past Rafael Devers at third base. After a walk, Harper cleared the Green Monster with a two-run shot, his 27th homer of the year.
The game was dampened by showers but never delayed.
Jared Hughes (4-5) earned the win with 1 1/3 hitless innings of relief after Smyly lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and five hits with three walks while striking out four. Héctor Neris pitched the ninth for his 23rd save.
Philadelphia made it 4-2 in the seventh on Dickenson’s RBI triple. The Red Sox put runners on second and third with two outs in the eighth, but José Álvarez struck out pinch-hitter Chris Owings to end the threat.
Dickerson made it 5-2 with a single in the ninth.
SLOPPY NIGHT — One night after having two runners thrown out on the basepaths in the ninth inning, the Red Sox committed two errors, including the one that allowed Hernández to score. There was a balk on Brandon Workman, two wild pitches and a passed ball by Christian Vázquez. Red Sox pitchers walked eight.
“It wasn’t a great night,” manager Alex Cora said. “The funny thing is we had a chance to win the game. We can’t have nights like that as a team.”
BUNTS — The Red Sox have homered in 13 consecutive games, their longest such streak of the season. … Boston is 0-3-1 in interleague series after going 10-0-3 previous 13 series (not counting the World Series victory over the Dodgers).
TRAINER’S ROOM — Phillies: SS Jean Segura took a pickoff attempt of the right knee in the sixth inning. He went to the dirt in obvious pain, but he remained in the game.
Red Sox: LHP David Price will throw in the bullpen on Thursday and Cora said he would decide after that what is next. He won’t necessarily need a rehab start, Cora said.
UP NEXT — Phillies: Off on today, then at Miami for the start of a three-game series. RHP Vince Velasquez (5-7) is scheduled to start the opener.
Red Sox: Play the Kansas City Royals today in the resumption of a game that was suspended on Aug. 7 because of rain. The game will be picked up in the 10th inning with the score tied 4-4 and Josh Taylor working a 2-1 count on Meibrys Viloria.
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