Jimmy Rollins

PHILADELPHIA - It was a noble idea the Red Sox had, taking Daniel Bard out of the bullpen and making him a starter. But that transition has left a pitcher with one of the best arms in baseball either unable or unwilling to throw his fastball for strikes. Bard continued down a path Friday night that could lead him back to the bullpen, giving up four runs in the first inning as the Phillies beat the Red Sox, 6-4. "This loss is definitely on me," Bard said. The Red Sox are 2-5 in games Bard has started and he has a 4.85 earned run average.

Hunter Pence hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning off Jason Motte and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 on Friday night. The Phillies won their third in a row after surviving a fourth inning in which Pence, the right fielder, and Shane Victorino, the center fielder, lost balls in the lights. The winning runs came too late for Cliff Lee, a 17-game winner last season still seeking his first win of 2012. Juan Pierre singled to start the 10th against Motte, working his second inning.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Josh Beckett pitched 7 2-3 strong innings and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a three-run homer to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. Mike Aviles also homered and drove in two runs for Boston, which has won eight of 10 games overall after taking the final two of this three-game series. Beckett (4-4) was booed off the mound May 10 when he allowed seven runs in 2 1-3 innings following news that he had played golf while skipping a start to rest a strained lat muscle — but he has been spectacular since.

PHILADELPHIA — David Ortiz homered, singled and drove in two runs to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 7-5 win over Philadelphia, snapping the Phillies' six-game winning streak Saturday night. Mike Aviles, Will Middlebrooks and Jarrod Saltalamacchia also homered for Boston, which won for the seventh time in nine games. Saltalamacchia went 3 for 4, needing a triple for the cycle. Jon Lester (3-3) improved to 3-0 in four career starts against the Phillies despite matching a season high for hits allowed with eight and giving up four runs in six innings.

The possibility that Jimmy Rollins won't wear red pinstripes again hasn't crossed his mind. The 2007 NL MVP and three-time All-Star shortstop is headed toward free agency for the first time, and he wants to return to the Philadelphia Phillies. The team wants him back. But those mutual feelings are no guarantee Rollins will be here next year. Rollins made it clear Tuesday he wants a five-year deal. He doesn't plan to give the Phillies a hometown discount, either.

Carlos Ruiz homered and drove in three runs, Joe Blanton threw 7 1-3 sharp innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 on Saturday night. Jimmy Rollins, back in the leadoff spot for the first time this season, added a two-run double for the Phillies, the five-time defending NL East champions who are off to a 10-11 start. Blanton (2-3) allowed two runs and eight hits, striking out eight. Chad Qualls got the last two outs in the eighth. Jonathan Papelbon finished for his seventh save in as many tries.

John Mayberry Jr. doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 on Tuesday night in the first meeting of the season between the NL East rivals. After Brandon Beachy gave up only two runs in seven innings to outlast Phillies starter Cole Hamels, the Phillies broke a 2-2 tie with two runs against left-hander Jonny Venters (2-1). Mayberry, in the game as a pinch-hitter, doubled to right with one out, moved to third on Jimmy Rollins' single and scored on Venters' wild pitch to Placido Polanco.

CINCINNATI - Four homers. Twelve runs. The NL's highest-scoring offense took full advantage of the friendly dimensions at Great American Ball Park, then set off to see what it can do in the AL's newest launching pad. How will the Philadelphia Phillies take to the new Yankee Stadium? "It's a new, expensive ballpark," said Chase Utley, who drove in four runs during a 12-5 victory yesterday over the Cincinnati Reds. "It's a great place to hit, so I'm excited to get started there.

Benches cleared in the top of the sixth inning during Friday night's game between the Phillies and Giants after San Francisco reliever Ramon Ramirez hit Shane Victorino in the back with a pitch. Victorino began walking toward the mound and Giants catcher Eli Whiteside stepped in front of him. Placido Polanco raced in from second base and was tackled by Whiteside, who along with Victorino was ejected. Ramirez also was tossed. Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff was in the middle of the scrum and Phillies leadoff man Jimmy Rollins shoved San Francisco bench coach Ron...

PHILADELPHIA -- Aaron Rowand's RBI single with one out in the 14th inning lifted the surging Phillies over visiting Cincinnati, 6-5, last night, gaining precious ground on the wild-card leaders. The Phillies overcame deficits in the eighth and ninth innings to win for the seventh time in 10 games. Back in the chase after dealing one-fourth of their Opening Day roster before the trade deadline, the Phillies entered three games behind the Reds. David Dellucci led off the 14th with a single against Elizardo Ramirez, who was supposed to start tonight.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Josh Beckett pitched 7 2-3 strong innings and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a three-run homer to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. Mike Aviles also homered and drove in two runs for Boston, which has won eight of 10 games overall after taking the final two of this three-game series. Beckett (4-4) was booed off the mound May 10 when he allowed seven runs in 2 1-3 innings following news that he had played golf while skipping a start to rest a strained lat muscle — but he has been spectacular since.

PHILADELPHIA - It was a noble idea the Red Sox had, taking Daniel Bard out of the bullpen and making him a starter. But that transition has left a pitcher with one of the best arms in baseball either unable or unwilling to throw his fastball for strikes. Bard continued down a path Friday night that could lead him back to the bullpen, giving up four runs in the first inning as the Phillies beat the Red Sox, 6-4. "This loss is definitely on me," Bard said. The Red Sox are 2-5 in games Bard has started and he has a 4.85 earned run average.

Roy Halladay threw eight strong innings for his first victory in a month and the Philadelphia Phillies held on for an 8-7 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night. Halladay (4-3) hadn't won since April 16, a span of five starts, and had lost three straight decisions to match a career high, but held the Cubs to three runs and scattered seven hits. The two-time Cy Young winner has allowed three earned runs or fewer in eight of his nine starts this season. Chicago's Welington Castillo's stroked a two-out, three-run double in the ninth against Phillies LHP Jake Diekman to close the...

While the Phillies have been looking for answers as they've struggled through the first five weeks of the season, Cole Hamels has been one of their most consistent pieces as they look to climb out of the cellar in the NL East. Hamels was stellar on the mound in his return from a five-game suspension, extending his winning streak to five games with seven innings of one-run ball Sunday to help Philadelphia beat another last place team, the San Diego Padres, 3-2. The Phillies have now won six straight games in which Hamels has started.

For the second day in a row a Padres starter was able to keep pace with a Phillies ace. In the end, it wasn't enough. Cole Hamels outdueled Jeff Suppan with a stellar outing, returning from a five-game suspension with seven innings of one-run ball to lead Philadelphia to a 3-2 win over San Diego. Making just his third start of the season, Suppan held Philadelphia to three runs — two earned — in six innings of work. Suppan gave up six hits and threw just 78 pitches — one which he would like to get back at hitter-friendly Citizen Bank Park.

Charlie Manuel ran out of patience, so he gave his players an earful after their latest "ugly" loss. Ike Davis hit a three-run homer, Andres Torres also connected and the New York Mets beat the Phillies 10-6 Wednesday night to complete their first three-game sweep in Philadelphia in six years. The Mets rallied to win all three against slumping Philadelphia. They trailed after five innings against Roy Halladay on Monday, after six against Joe Blanton on Tuesday and after six against Cliff Lee in the series finale.

PHILADELPHIA — David Ortiz homered, singled and drove in two runs to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 7-5 win over Philadelphia, snapping the Phillies' six-game winning streak Saturday night. Mike Aviles, Will Middlebrooks and Jarrod Saltalamacchia also homered for Boston, which won for the seventh time in nine games. Saltalamacchia went 3 for 4, needing a triple for the cycle. Jon Lester (3-3) improved to 3-0 in four career starts against the Phillies despite matching a season high for hits allowed with eight and giving up four runs in six innings.

John Mayberry Jr. doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 on Tuesday night in the first meeting of the season between the NL East rivals. After Brandon Beachy gave up only two runs in seven innings to outlast Phillies starter Cole Hamels, the Phillies broke a 2-2 tie with two runs against left-hander Jonny Venters (2-1). Mayberry, in the game as a pinch-hitter, doubled to right with one out, moved to third on Jimmy Rollins' single and scored on Venters' wild pitch to Placido Polanco.