June 18, 2008
Dobbs' 3 RBIs Pace Phils Past Sox in Series Finale
Philadelphia 9, Boston 2
Missing Manny Ramirez's bat, the Red Sox offense did little against Brett Myers in the rubber match of the three game series against the Phillies. With the Yankees already winning earlier in the day, the loss trimmed the Red Sox lead in the American League East down to 3.5 games over New York, down from 7.5 on June 1st.
A Kevin Youkilis RBI-double and a solo home run by Brandon Moss put the Sox ahead by two early, but Tim Wakefield lacked his baffling knuckleball as the Phillies battled back. In the fourth inning, Geoff Jenkins hit a two-run home run off Wakefield to tie the game.
In the sixth, Wakefield got into trouble when the knuckleball started to flutter a bit too much. A seven-pitch lead off walk to Jimmy Rollins was followed by a nine pitch at-bat to Jenkins that ended with the slugger reaching first after taking a knuckle to the back. So Taguchi drove home Rollins to break the tie before 2B Mike Cervenak got his only hit of the game, a two-run double to left-center that broke open the game for Philadelphia.
A Ryan Howard solo home run in the seventh was followed by a three-run shot in the eight by Greg Dobbs off of Lee Gronkiewicz that sealed the victory for the Phillies.
W: Myers (4-4) L: Wakefield (9-4)
Player of the Game: Greg Dobbs (4-5, 2B, HR, R, 3 RBIs)
Around the League:
...Pittsburgh traded CF Nyjer Morgan (.307 avg., 3 HRs, 13 RBIs, .831 ops.) and LF Brad Corley (Lynchburg) to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for reliever Jon Huber (3-2, 1 sv., 43.1 IP, 30 Ks) and RF Jamie McOwen (Altoona)...Seattle placed CF Tony Gwynn, Jr. (18g, .279 avg., .380 obp.) on waivers...New York placed 3B David Wright (.298 avg., 11 HRs, 41 RBIs, .929 ops.) on the 15-day disable list...