RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesLOS ANGELES — Instant reactions as the Red Sox (58-51) close out a phenomenal July by rallying to beat the Dodgers, 9-4, in the opener of a three-game series out west:
1) Facing the possibility of a bad loss after blowing an early 3-0 lead, the Red Sox ensured one of the best months in franchise history would end on a high note with some clutch hitting in a five-run seventh inning.
Trailing 4-3 against Triple-A call-up Cole Irvin in a game it felt like the Dodgers would be fine punting, Boston batted around and flipped a narrow deficit into a big lead. Ceddanne Rafaela, continuing his clutch ways, crushed a first-pitch two-run homer to give the Sox the lead at 5-4. Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida and Caleb Durbin (on a bunt) then all singled before Andruw Monasterio stayed hot with a two-run double down the left field line. Jarren Duran made it 8-4 with a rocket liner that deflected off Irvin and plated Durbin from third, knocking in his second run of the game.
From there, Los Angeles’ offense did little against Brayan Bello and the Sox held on for a comfortable win.
2) The Sox finished the month of July with an almost unbelievable 21-4 record and .840 winning percentage. With the victory, they clinched their highest winning percentage ever in a month in which they played at least 20 games. Boston had posted an .800 mark twice before, in June 1901 and August 1950.
Boston has won 29 of its last 37 games and can clinch its eighth series win in a row with one more victory over the two-time defending World Series champions.
3) The most important at-bat of the game came right before the five-run rally. The Dodgers threatened damage in the sixth when Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts led off the sixth with singles, then No. 9 hitter Eliezier Alfonzo came up with the bases loaded and two outs. An erratic Bello was nowhere near the strike zone for most of the at-bat but got Alfonzo to ground out to shortstop to end the inning. Keeping the deficit at one run proved key.
From there, Bello — pitching for the first time in nine days — held onto the lead. He allowed three hits and struck out three batters in four shutout innings, earning the win.
Bello, in three long relief appearances since being recalled in mid-July, has a 0.66 ERA in 13 ⅔ innings. He has been tagged for just one earned run on nine hits in that span while posting a 13-to-2 strikeout-to-walk rate.
4) Chad Tracy had a quick hook for starter Ranger Suarez — and it backfired. With Suarez at just 65 pitches with two outs in the fifth, the Sox turned to reliever Jovani Morán to face Ohtani, coming to the plate for the third time.
Ohtani launched a rocket two-run homer to right field (at 112.1 mph) and turned a 3-2 Red Sox lead into a Dodgers lead. Suarez’s line included three earned runs on four hits; he issued two walks and recorded two strikeouts.
Suarez didn’t have a rehab start during his three-week absence due to a groin strain and threw 64 pitches in his strong four-inning return to the rotation Sunday against Toronto. Still, he was expected to go further than he did Friday, especially considering how he pitched a very efficient first three innings.
5) First baseman Willson Contreras saw his night end very early. He was hit in the helmet with a 95 mph Will Klein fastball in the third inning, then didn’t come out to play first base in the bottom of the inning after running the bases (and scoring). It’s likely Contreras, who hit the deck and was clearly shaken up after getting hit, was tested for a concussion. All the Red Sox said on the matter was that he was removed for “precautionary reasons.”
Interestingly, Klein also buzzed the tower with the first pitch he threw to Contreras, another 95 mph heater up and in.
6) The Red Sox mounted a 3-0 lead by getting men on base and then capitalizing on some poor defensive play by Los Angeles. The first run scored in the second when Durbin walked, got all the way to third when Klein threw away a pickoff attempt and came home on a two-out, two-strike RBI single by Duran. Two innings later, Freddie Freeman booted a Yoshida chopper to allow two more runs to score.
Until the seventh, the Sox had just five hits, all of them singles.
7) Monasterio, a breakout star of Boston’s recent hot streak, had a poor defensive series in Sacramento (three errors) but a fantastic game with the glove against the Dodgers . He made two spectacular plays — including a run-saving effort deep into the hole that required a jump-throw to retire Teoscar Hernández in the sixth. That combined with his big double in the seventh made for a memorable night.
8) Interesting, even when the Red Sox had a one-run lead before breaking the game open, Tracy had no one warming in the bullpen. With his high-leverage relievers taxed heavily during four close games against the Athletics, Tracy clearly had decided that Friday’s game belonged to Bello, who has barely pitched all month. That was made easier by the comfortable lead.
9) Sogard, leading off for the first time this season, reached base three times. He singled in the third then walked in the fourth and the seventh. Sogard scored twice.
Sogard shifted from second base to first base when Contreras left the game and Anthony Seigler took over at second.
10) The Dodgers let Irvin, who had not pitched in the majors since 2024, wear it. The former Oriole had a 3.58 ERA and uninspiring 5.1 K/9 rate in 20 starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City, then was recalled before the game when righty Brock Stewart was placed on the IL. Irvin threw 100 pitches over six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits.
11) The Sox will have their work cut out for them Saturday with ace righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-6, 2.72 ERA) set to start for the Dodgers. Boston will send rookie Payton Tolle (6-6, 3.32 ERA) to the hill.
First pitch is an hour earlier than it was Friday, at 9:10 p.m. ET.
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