Miley goes the distance as Red Sox defeat Asher, Phillies

Final: Red Sox 9, Phillies 2

WP: Wade Miley (11-10, 4.43 ERA) LP: Alec Asher (0-2, 10.61 ERA)

Boston, MA – In the middle game of a three-game, weekend series at Fenway Park, the Philadelphia Phillies (53-83) dropped their 20th road series out of their last 26, putting up just two runs and five hits of offense against the Boston Red Sox (63-72) and southpaw Wade Miley.

Miley went the distance for the first time of his career, while right hander Alec Asher, one of the players acquired from the Texas Rangers in July, struggled in his second career start.

The first 12 Phillies' batters were retired by Miley, six of which via strike out.

Designated hitter Jeff Francoeur was the first Phillie to reach base, as he singled to begin the top of the fifth inning. In retrospect, however, it was too little, too late.

A half-inning prior, the Red Sox scored eight runs on seven hits to put the game essentially out of reach for Philadelphia.

With runners on the corners and one out, rookie catcher Blake Swihart brought home the game's first run with a RBI-single. Two batters later, right fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. laced a two-RBI double to right center field, putting a pair of runners into scoring position with still just one out recorded by Asher.

Later in the frame , shortstop Xander Bogaerts hit a bases-clearing double in the inning. He came around to score on the same play because of a throwing error by Phillies' second baseman Cesar Hernandez.

Jerome Williams entered in relief of Asher, who allowed seven runs on eight hits and two walks in just 3 2/3 innings of work. Appearing in his 40th career game against the Phillies, Red Sox legendary designated hitter David Ortiz went yard for the eighth time in those contests.

Life-time against Williams, Ortiz is now 5-8 with three home runs and six runs-batted-in.

The Phillies' only offensive production this afternoon occurred in the fifth inning. Following Francoeur's single as before mentioned, left fielder Darnell Sweeney doubled for the second time of his career to put two runners on. 

Later in the inning, catcher Carlos Ruiz hit a two-RBI single to center field. Ruiz was hitless in seven career at-bats at Fenway entering Saturday's game.

The only other run produced by either side did not come until the bottom of the eighth, when Ken Giles entered in relief of southpaw Adam Loewen with the bases loaded and one out.

Facing the Phillies' closer, Bogaerts grounded out to second. The Phillies opted to get the sure out instead of trying to record an out at home, thus allowing Boston's ninth run of the afternoon to score.

Miley went on to throw his first career complete game, yielding just two runs on five hits for a 0.556 WHIP ratio. The Boston left hander had a 1.235 career WHIP against the Phillies in three starts prior, with a 1-1 record and 4.24 ERA.

Starting Pitchers

• Asher: L; 83 pitches, 47 strikes; 3 groundouts, 5 flyouts; 21 faced batters
• Miley: W; 110 pitches, 79 strikes; 8 groundouts, 6 flyouts; 32 faced batters

Out of the 'Pen

Phillies

• Jerome Williams (4th-7th): 3.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1 HR, 5.99 ERA
• Adam Loewen (8th): 0.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 9.53 ERA
• Ken Giles (8th): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 1.52 ERA

At the Plate

Phillies

• Odubel Herrera: 1-4, 2B, .298 AVG
• Darnell Sweeney: 1-4, R, 2B, .226 AVG
• Carlos Ruiz: 1-3, 2 RBI, .218 AVG

Red Sox

• Xander Bogaerts: 1-5, R, 4 RBI, .320 AVG
• David Ortiz: 2-5, 2 R, HR, RBI, .267 AVG
• Jackie Bradley Jr.: 2-4, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, .293 AVG

What's Next:

• Sunday, September 6, 2015: at Boston Red Sox, 1:35 pm
• RHP Jerad Eickhoff (1-2, 2.84 ERA) vs. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (8-5, 4.25 ERA)
• TV: CSN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, WTTM 1680 (Sp.)

Matt Rappa (@mattrappasports) is managing editor of Philliedelphia.com.