Red Sox Sweep Phillies. Biggio Watch In Effect.

Red Sox Sweep Phillies

The Red Sox swept the Phillies this afternoon with a 12-8 victory that saw them blow an 8-1 lead after Mark Bellhorn homered (his 5th) and Manny Ramirez hit a grand slam (his 19th career grand slam). Sox starter David Wells went five innings and even got a single, an RBI and scored on Manny's granny. But, he surrendered homers to Bobby Abreu (his 17th) and Pat Burrell (his 16th) before turning it over to the bullpen. After a scoreless sixth from Matt Mantei, Alan Embree and Mike Timlin allowed the Phillies to tie the game at 8-8 in the seventh inning, but the Sox responded with four runs in the eighth off of former Sox reliever Rheal Cormier, including a two-run homer by Jason Varitek (his 13th). Keith Foulke pitched a scoreless ninth to seal the sweep.

The Sox had a perfect 6-0 record on this road trip and now face the Cleveland Indians to begin a three-game series tomorrow night at Fenway. And since the Orioles were swept by the Braves in Atlanta, the Sox now hold a 2 1/2 game lead in the AL East.


Biggio Watch

Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros needs to be hit by one more pitch to tie Don Baylor for the painful distinction of having been hit by the most pitches in a career. Biggio trails Baylor 266 to 267.