Hernández and Smith rally Dodgers past Red Sox 7-6 in 11 innings
AP Sports Writer
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.
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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