BOSTON — Tyler O’Neill’s 12th homer this season was absolutely crushed.
The slugger launched it 430 feet to left-center field off Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola. His two-out, three-run blast left his bat at 108.4 mph and put Boston ahead 8-3 in the fourth inning.
The Red Sox won 9-3 over the Phillies to take the three-game series, 2-1.
It marked Boston’s first series win over an above .500 team this season. Philadelphia entered Thursday with the major’s second best winning percentage (.687) behind only the Yankees (.690).
O’Neill went 2-for-5. He left last Friday’s game in Chicago with right knee discomfort, then didn’t play Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. He returned Wednesday as the DH and played right field here Thursday. He made a running catch on Edmundo Sosa’s 226-foot fly out for the first out of the eighth inning.
Boston ripped a season-high seven doubles. Jarren Duran and Enmanuel Valdez each had two doubles. Reese McGuire, Ceddanne Rafaela and Rafael Devers each had one double.
The Red Sox took a 4-0 lead in the second inning. The Phillies cut it to 4-3 in the top of the seventh when Kyle Schwarber hit a three-run double with two outs. But Boston came right back and put a four spot on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth.
David Hamilton delivered a two-out RBI single before O’Neill’s three-run blast.
Tanner Houck pitched 6 innings and allowed three runs, eight hits and no walks while striking out five. He improved to 7-5 with a 2.08 ERA.
Devers, Duran, O’Neill, Valdez and Rafaela each had two hits. Boston stroked 13 hits. Everyone in the lineup had at least one hit.
Brad Keller pitched three scoreless inning to earn a save.
