The Los Angeles Dodgers were slow to get going but ultimately feasted on the Boston Red Sox bullpen for a 7-4 comeback win in the series opener at Fenway Park. The Dodgers extended their modest winning streak to three games in the process.
Alex Verdugo was first to make an impact in what’s effectively a reunion series. He ambushed the first pitch from Lance Lynn for a line-drive home run hit into the bullpens in right field. The leadoff home run was Verdugo’s second in as many games.
Trevor Story then extended the Red Sox lead to 3-0 by lifting an inside pitch over the Green Monster for a two-run homer in the second inning.
Lynn largely settled in from there and it bought the Dodgers lineup enough time to eventually chase Kutter Crawford from the game.
The Red Sox starter had seven strikeouts through five scoreless innings before running into trouble. It began with Mookie Betts’ leadoff double that extended his hitting streak to 13 games and continued with a single from Freddie Freeman.
Will Smith then greeted Nick Pivetta with an RBI double, and the Red Sox traded an out for a run when Max Muncy grounded to first base. Kiké Hernández kept the inning alive with a two-out RBI single that pulled the Dodgers even.
They jumped ahead in the seventh behind another three-run inning, keyed by a go-ahead RBI double by Freeman. Muncy created more separation with a two-run double.
Muncy’s extra-base hit loomed large as Brusdar Graterol inherited two runners from Lynn with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh. Graterol, who was nearly traded to the Red Sox, induced former Dodgers stalwart Justin Turner into a grounder that Muncy fielded and stepped on third base for a force out before his throwing error allowed a run to score.
Dodgers bullpen gets assist from Red Sox
After allowing just the one run in the seventh, Graterol remained in the game for the eighth inning despite a string of left-handed batters being due up.
A base hit and infield single put two on before Graterol got a second out on his 31st pitch of the night. Alex Vesia came in to face Verdugo, who singled to right field, only for the inning to come to an end when pinch-runner Connor Wong got caught in a rundown because he did not realize Triston Casas had been held at third base.
After David Peralta’s sacrifice fly brought in an insurance run, Evan Phillips entered in the bottom of the ninth to convert the save.
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