PHILADELPHIA - Extra work in the batting cage paid off for Xander Bogaerts.

Bogaerts had three hits and three RBIs to back Justin Masterson, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 Thursday night.

"It's looking like the extra work he's doing is giving him some traction," Red Sox manager John Farrell said of Bogaerts. "He's a little bit more balanced, a little more patient, trying to get a pitch he can handle."

Masterson (1-0) allowed two runs and three hits in six innings, striking out seven in his first start for the Red Sox since 2009. He also had a career-best two hits and an RBI.

"It not skill, it's just luck," Masterson said of the hits.

The Red Sox won two of three in the interleague series and will move on to Yankee Stadium to face their AL East rivals.

Phillies righty David Buchanan (0-1) struggled, giving up six runs and seven hits in three innings. He didn't allow more than three earned runs in his last 16 starts as a rookie in 2014.

"I'll shake it off," he said.

Buchanan retired the first two batters in the third before finding trouble. Infield singles by David Ortiz and Hanley Ramirez and a walk to Pablo Sandoval loaded the bases. Shane Victorino followed with another infield hit to third to drive in a run. Ryan Hanigan walked on four pitches to force in another run.

Bogaerts then looped a 3-2 pitch just inside the right-field foul line for a bases-clearing triple as the ball took a strange hop and trickled away from right fielder Jeff Francoeur. Masterson lined a single up the middle to make it 6-0.

Bogaerts has been spending more time with hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant hitting coach Victor Rodriguez.

"The more patient you are, the better," he said. "Timing has been a problem for me, but it's simple: See the ball, hit the ball."

The Phillies cut it to 6-2 with a pair of two-out runs in the bottom half. Freddy Galvis scored on a wild pitch after reaching on an infield single and Chase Utley had an RBI single.

Masterson, who was drafted by Boston in 2006, was traded to Cleveland six years ago. The right-hander signed a $9.5 million, one-year deal to return to the Red Sox after going 7-9 with a 5.88 ERA for the Indians and St. Louis last year.

"When his sinker is on, it has such depth and such unpredictability to hitters," Farrell said.

The teams wore retro 1915 caps. The Red Sox beat the Phillies in the World Series that season.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: A day after saying knuckleballer Steven Wright would start against the Yankees on Saturday, Farrell is now leaning toward Joe Kelly. The right-hander was slowed by a right biceps injury in spring training and was expected to make one more rehab start, but he impressed in a bullpen session on Wednesday.

Phillies: RF Domonic Brown began a rehab assignment at Single-A Clearwater, going 0 for 2 with two strikeouts. The 2013 All-Star has been sidelined since March 19 because of tendinitis in his left Achilles tendon.

CHECK THAT GLOVE

Third baseman Pablo Sandoval's throw to first to retire Utley on a grounder in the first inning nearly went through Ortiz's glove. The ball got stuck in the webbing. Big Papi won't need that glove for a while. He'll assume his normal duties as designated hitter until the Red Sox visit another NL ballpark on June 17.

DOMINATING PHILLY

The Red Sox are 10-1-2 in 13 series against the Phillies since 2004. They're 25-12 against them in that span.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: LHP Wade Miley makes his Red Sox debut in the opener of a three-game series at the New York Yankees. Miley was 8-12 with a 4.34 ERA last year in Arizona.

Phillies: RHP Jerome Williams makes his first start of the season in the opener of a three-game series against Washington. Williams was 4-2 with a 2.83 ERA in nine starts for Philadelphia in 2014 after being released by two teams. LHP Gio Gonzalez goes for the Nationals.

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