Hernández and Smith rally Dodgers past Red Sox 7-6 in 11 innings

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This article was published 20/07/2024 (458 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Will Smith singled with the bases loaded and one out in the 11th inning to drive in Kiké Hernández as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a 7-6 win over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

Smith lined a base hit to center field off Greg Weissert (2-2) to give the Dodgers the victory.

“It was back and forth all game. It was a fun one to come out on top of,” Smith said. “Just trying to get a pitch to hit and get in the air.”

Hernández was the automatic runner at second base to begin the 11th. He advanced to third on pinch-hitter Cavan Biggio’s sacrifice bunt. Chris Taylor walked and Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked to set the stage for Smith, who delivered the sixth walk-off hit of his career and first since 2022.

“They don’t want Shohei to beat them so tonight was Will’s opportunity. I feel just as comfortable with any one of those guys up at the plate with the game on the line. It was a huge win,” manager Dave Roberts said.

Hernández, who entered in the seventh, kept the Dodgers alive twice. He tied it at 4 in the ninth with a solo homer to left-center off former Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen.

It was the first homer Jansen has allowed this season.

“He gave me one to handle and I didn’t miss it. I was able to make contact and after that, it was just compete mode,” said Hernández, who reached 10 years of MLB service time on Saturday.

Hernández then evened it 6-all in the 10th with a base hit up the middle to drive in Andy Pages, whose one-out double brought home automatic runner Freddie Freeman.

Blake Treinen (3-2) got the win by retiring Boston in order in the 11th.

Tyler O’Neill hit a pair of two-run homers for the Red Sox, who had won six straight games decided by one run.

With Jarren Duran as the automatic runner in the 10th, O’Neill’s two-run shot off Evan Phillips leading off the inning gave the Red Sox designated hitter his third multi-homer game of the season.

O’Neill gave Boston a 4-3 lead in the seventh with a two-run drive into the Dodgers’ bullpen in left field. It was the fifth time in his seven-year career he had at least four RBIs in a game.

“He took some good swings. That’s what he can do,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “Not every day he’s going to be 100%. We know that, but in the batter’s box he’s a game changer. He had an outstanding game.”

Duran drove in the other two Red Sox runs in the fifth with a double off the wall in right-center.

Bryan Bello allowed three runs on five hits and struck out seven in six innings. It was the seventh straight game a Boston starter went at least six innings, its longest streak since an eight-game run in 2018.

Gavin Lux also homered for Los Angeles with a solo shot just over the fence in right-center in the second.

Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski didn’t allow a run in 4 1/3 innings and struck out five.

WEB GEM

O’Neill’s first homer ended up negating a great play by James Outman. The Dodgers’ center fielder made a leaping catch of Rob Refsnyder’s line drive and held onto the ball while crashing into the wall for the first out in the seventh.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: 2B Vaughn Grissom (right hamstring) started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester.

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Dodgers: RHP Tyler Glasnow (lower back tightness) is on track to come off the injured list Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Boston RHP Kutter Crawford (6-7, 3.04 ERA) takes the mound in the series finale. Los Angeles will go with LHP James Paxton (7-2, 4.38 ERA).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb