Boston Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suarez caused havoc for his previous team Thursday night, but the Philadelphia Phillies rallied late to win 3-1 at Fenway Park. Suarez, making his first appearance since May 3 after missing a start due to a tight hamstring, pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, increasing his shutout streak to 19 innings.
Pitching on ten days of rest, Suarez appeared strong from the first frame. He retired the first 11 batters he faced and did not allow a hit until Alec Bohm singled to lead off the fifth. Philadelphia then threatened in that inning by loading the bases with two outs, but Suarez got out of the bind by striking out Edmundo Sosa. He left in the sixth inning after tossing 76 pitches, with wet weather and his recent hamstring injury contributing to the decision.
Suarez’s performance was the fifth time in eight appearances this season that he has not allowed a run, tying Jose Soriano for the most in MLB this year. Despite having to face the team where he spent his entire major league career before joining the Red Sox on a five-year, $130 million deal in January, Suarez maintained that there was no extra motivation.
“Not really,” Suarez said. “I went out there like (it was) any other game. They had their goals, and now I’m in Boston and glad here. “
Across the diamond, Jesus Luzardo maintained pace with Suarez inning for inning. Luzardo responded to a slow prior outing by allowing four hits and one walk in six scoreless innings, striking out four. Earlier this season, the Phillies re-signed Luzardo to a five-year, $135 million deal after letting Suarez go in free agency.
The game remained scoreless until the eighth inning, when Kyle Schwarber hit a two-run shot off reliever Tyler Samaniego. The 417-foot shot, Schwarber’s MLB-leading 18th home run of the season, put Philadelphia in command for good. Schwarber has hit seven home runs in his past seven games, making him the first Phillies player to do so since Trea Turner in 2023.
Boston avoided the shutout when Wilyer Abreu hit an RBI single in the eighth, but the Red Sox lost two of three games in both their series against the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia during the homestand.
