Brock Holt, pinch-hitting for right-hander Rick Porcello, made the starting pitcher a winner Tuesday night by hitting the tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning as the visiting Boston Red Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 in the opener of a two-game interleague series at Citizens Bank Park.

The scorching Red Sox (86-35) have won five in a row and 11 of 12. Boston is on pace for 115 wins, one shy of the single-season record shared by the 1906 Chicago Cubs and 2001 Seattle Mariners.

Philadelphia (65-53) has lost four of five. The Phillies, who are two games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East, fell into sole possession of the second wild card in the NL, one game behind the Milwaukee Brewers.

Porcello (15-5) allowed just one run on two hits and no walks while striking out 10 over seven innings. It was an impressive bounce-back for the 29-year-old right-hander, who gave up seven runs over four innings in taking the loss against the Toronto Blue Jays in his previous outing last Thursday.

On Tuesday, Porcello retired the first 12 batters he faced before Rhys Hoskins homered leading off the fifth. Odubel Herrera singled two outs later before Porcello retired the final seven batters he faced.

Holt, batting in Porcello's spot with one out in the eighth, homered to right on the first pitch he saw from Tommy Hunter (3-2). It was the second career pinch-hit homer for Holt.

Boston's Heath Hembree tossed a perfect eighth inning before Craig Kimbrel earned his 36th save by working around a leadoff walk to Justin Bour in the ninth. Pinch runner Scott Kingery stole second but was stranded when Kimbrel struck out Asdrubal Cabrera to end the game.

Sandy Leon homered in the third for the Red Sox, who were limited to six hits by Nick Pivetta and three relievers.

Pivetta allowed the one run on three hits and one walk while striking out six over six innings.

--Field Level Media