JD Martinez, shown here in an at bat against Toronto at Fenway Park, had a game tying homerun on Sunday night in a Boston loss to the LA Dodgers. Photo by Chris Lessner
The Los Angeles Dodgers blew a late two run lead on Sunday night, but then scored three runs in the 12th inning to take the rubber game of a three game series at Fenway Park with a 7-4 win over the Boston Red Sox.
A.J. Pollock started the night off for the Dodgers wrapping a three run homer around Peskys Pole in the top of the first to make it 3-0. Andrew Benintendi got the Sox right back within a run with a two run single in the bottom of the first. Pollock got his fourth RBI to extend the Dodgers lead with a two out RBI single in the fifth. The score stayed that way until the bottom of the eighth inning when Pedro Baez replaced starter Hyun-Jin Ryu on the hill for Los Angeles. Xander Bogaerts immediately greeted him by smashing a 1-1 pitch into the monster seats for a solo homer to cut it to 4-3. JD Martinez followed and he then took a 1-0 pitch and tied the game with a solo shot into the center field bleachers. Boston (50-43) had two runners on base in the ninth with one out and couldn’t score, and the bases loaded with two outs in the 11th and also couldn’t score. Alex Verdugo for LA was also thrown out at the plate on a single by Justin Turner for the third out in the top of the 11th by Sox left fielder Benintendi.
Los Angeles (62-33) finally broke the tie in the 12th inning however against Boston reliever Hector Valazquez. Max Muncy walked with the bases loaded, Verdugo singled in a run, and Russell Martin bounced into a force out allowed Pollock to score. Christian Vazquez walked to begin the bottom half for the hosts, but then Benintendi struck out against Dylan Floro. Old friend Joe Kelly then picked up the save by striking out Brock Holt and Jackie Bradley Jr. to end it.
Velazquez (1-4) took the loss for Boston allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits, with two costly walks in the 12th. David Price started but could only go 5.0 innings as his pitch count reached 113. Price allowed four runs (one earned) on four hits, with three walks and seven strikeouts. Bogaerts had three hits for the Sox, while Martinez and Mookie Betts had two a piece. Floro (4-2) got the win for LA in relief, and Kelly picked up his first save. Ryu pitched a solid 7.0 innings only allowing one run on eight hits. Pollack had three hits and four RBI to pace the Dodgers offense, while Turner, David Freese, and Verdugo had two hits each.
Boston opens a four game series with Toronto at Fenway Park on Monday night at 7:10 p.m. The Sox send Rick Porcello to the bump, to be opposed by the Blue Jays Trent Thornton.
