Cloyd, Phillies Battered in 8-3 Loss to Red Sox

So much for bucking trends. In an 8-3 loss to the Red Sox tonight, the Phillies stumbled in interleague play, buckled at Fenway Park and were dizzied by a starter they’ve never seen before – as they have been reliably of late.

Maybe the only change: Tyler Cloyd (1-1, 5.71 ERA), solid his first two times out, was battered tonight, logging only one more out (7) than runs allowed (6) and more than doubling the 2.70 ERA he entered with. Dustin Pedroia and Mike Napoli each screamed first inning home runs for Cloyd’s first of 2013. Look no farther for his downfall: last year, 14 of Cloyd’s 18 runs were off home runs.

After Cloyd’s early exit, the Phillies were forced to deploy five relievers for only the second time this year. Not good for a series opener. Less encouraging: in his first appearance off the DL, Mike Adams walked three for only the second time in his career and first since 2005.

With the loss, the Phillies have now dropped six of eight against the American League this year, and eight of 10 in Boston since 2003.

And add Alfredo Aceves (1-1, 6.57 ERA), who’d never before started against the Phillies, to the list of first-timers who’ve gassed Philadelphia this season. Despite 10 baserunners over six innings, the Phillies only plated a single run against him. The biggest reason why: John Mayberry Jr., Michael Young and Ryan Howard hit into double plays in successive innings, two of them of the inning-ending variety. Aceves had surrendered 12 runs in 13 1/3 over three starts prior.

After missing yesterday, Howard went 2 for 5. With an 0 for 5 night, Michael Young is now hitless in his last 21 at-bats.

The only good news: Domonic Brown’s two-run shot in the eighth inning, his team-high 10^th home run of the year and fourth against a lefty. Erik Kratz also roped a solo shot in the third. And Ben Revere survived a frightening crash into the unpadded, steel garage in Fenway’s center field. Mashed his elbow good, but Revere finished the game, and the Boston crowd picked up him well, returning Revere’s favor from a few weeks ago.

Cliff Lee (5-2, 2.48 ERA) gets Ryan Dempster (2-5, 4.69 ERA) to wrap the road trip tomorrow at 7:10 p.m.