BOSTON — Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers earned a series victory against the Boston Red Sox following their 7-4 win at Fenway Park on Sunday.
Los Angeles improved to 80-49 on the campaign while Boston fell to 69-62.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
The Red Sox made it interesting with back-to-back home runs from Justin Turner and Adam Duvall in the eighth inning, but ultimately were not able to complete a comeback.
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LA held a 4-0 lead after the top of the sixth inning and extended it to 7-2 after the top of the eighth.
A major reason was because the star-studded Dodgers got the best of reliever Chris Murphy, who was recalled to Boston on Sunday morning. With Betts serving as the Dodgers’ leadoff man and Freddie Freeman in the No. 2 spot, LA’s top of the order resembled the best in baseball. Both Betts (3-for-5, three RBIs) and Freeman (3-for-5) each finished with three hits and the Dodgers finished with 14 compared to Boston’s seven. Red Sox starter Tanner Houck was pulled after he allowed one run on five hits in four innings before Murphy allowed six runs on nine hits in four innings of relief.
LA scored runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
Besides Boston’s back-to-back bombs in the eighth inning and a loud sixth inning, which was highlighted by a two-run homer from Triston Casas, the Red Sox offense wasn’t able to do much at the plate. It was a contrast to the offense which scored seven runs in three of the four previous games.
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STARS OF THE GAME
— Betts concluded a spectacular showing at Fenway Park, his first series in Boston since being traded to the Dodgers. Betts, who went 7-for-15 in the three games, belted a two-run home run in the sixth inning. It not only gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead, but it also marked his 35th blast of the season, which ties his career-high mark from 2022. Betts recorded three hits in consecutive games.
— Triston Casas provided the Red Sox with some life in the fourth inning as he connected on a two-run home run to opposite field. It marked Casas’ 21st of the season, which ties him for 10th all-time among Red Sox rookies, per Sox Notes’ J.P. Long. Only Casas (2-for-4, two RBIs, run) and Duvall (2-for-4, two runs, RBI) finished with multiple hits for the Red Sox.
— Dodgers outfielder James Outman gave LA its first lead with a solo home run in the fourth inning and later recorded an RBI single in the seventh to answer Boston’s initial comeback attempt. Outman (2-for-5, two RBIs, run) was one of four Dodgers players with multiple hits.
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WAGER WATCH
After the Red Sox and Dodgers combine to score 11 and 12 runs in the first two games of the series, bettors might have been attracted to 10-run total in Sunday’s contest. It proved to be a winning wager yet again. The solo home run by Duvall in the eighth inning caused it to eclipse the Over, despite only one run being scored in the first four innings.
ON DECK AT NESN
The Red Sox will welcome the Houston Astros for a three-game series at Fenway Park starting Monday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch it live after an hour of pregame coverage on NESN.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images
