Alyssa Maldonado
Game 99, 7/20/2024: Dodgers 7, Red Sox 6
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — In a second straight thriller, the Dodgers put on a show as they took the Boston Red Sox to extra innings with All-Star Will Smith coming up hero of the 7-6 victory in eleven innings. In a back and forth affair, the Dodgers and the Sox traded body blows for much of the last hour of the game before finally prevailing with a walk-off win.
In what started out as a bit of a pitchers’ duel, the Dodgers broke through in the bottom of the second with a solo shot from Gavin Lux. In all, Luxy had a great game, going 2-for-2 before being lifted for a pinch hitter late in the game. A little pop from Lux would really elevate the back half of this lineup. More of this, please.
Justin Wrobleski started for the Dodgers on Saturday, and the goal was to see the rookie extend his innings. However, Wrobleski kept it short, going 4.1 innings with 3 hits, 5 strikeouts, and 2 walks. Wrobleski looked like he was cruising when manager, but Dave Roberts, turned to the bullpen to keep the Red Sox from scoring. And it had the exact opposite effect. The Sox jumped all over reliever Yohan Ramirez, knocking three straight hits as they took a 2-1 lead on Jarren Duran‘s run-scoring double. After, Ramirez gave up the lead he was able to collect himself and end the inning with a strikeout and ground out, but the damage had been done.
In the top of the sixth, the Dodgers welcomed back Joe Kelly to the Ravine. Mariachi Joe threw one inning and started with a strikeout, but then things got a little dicey when Kelly gave up a double to Wilyer Abreu and walked the next batter. However, the defense stepped up as the middle infield flashed the leather and got the last two outs on a double play.
But the Dodgers came right back in the bottom of the sixth. Teoscar Hernández, who went 2-for-5 tonight, was able to show off some clutch hitting with one out, with runners on first and second. Teo hit a single to right field, allowing Shohei Ohtani to score and advance both runners on a throwing error. Andy Pages, who has been swinging a good bat, then hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Freeman to score to put the Dodgers up 3-2.
In the seventh, Anthony Banda was the next man out of the pen. And immediately he was helped by one of the best catches you’ll see anywhere. In what might be the best play of the year, James Outman went barrelling into wall to grab a screaming fly ball off the bat of Rob Refsnyder to lead off the inning.
However, Banda would not make it out of the inning unscathed. Tyler O’Neill smashed a two-run homer and the Dodgers headed into their final three innings looking at a 4-3 deficit.
It was not until the bottom of the ninth inning, that the Dodgers extended the game, as Kiké Hernandez came up to lead off the inning against former Dodger, relief pitcher Kenley Jansen. On a 2-2 count, Hernández drove a cutter from his former teammate 415 feet to left center field for a dramatic game-tying homer. However, this was all the offense produced as Chris Taylor was stranded at second after hitting a one-out double. So it was time for bonus baseball.
The Dodgers and the Red Sox would go back and forth in extras. Tyler O’Neill faced off against Dodgers’ reliever Evan Phillips in the bottom or the tenth and hit his second home run of the night, putting Boston up 6-4. Fortunately, Phillips was able to get out of the inning by shutting down the next three batters. However, with that homer, Phillips has a 7.71 ERA in his last seven games. That is a problem. Should we add a closer to our deadline shopping list?
The Dodgers kept battling in the bottom of the inning as the offense responded with a one-out double from Andy Pages scoring free runner Freddie Freeman from second. Then, down to their last out Kiké Hernández hit a clutch single to score Pages, but the comeback was cut short as Hernández was thrown out at second trying to stretch his hit into two bags. And so it was on to the eleventh.
Blake Treinen came in and did not start off so hot as he hit the lead-off batter putting two runners on for Boston. However, Treinen was able to settle in and get a couple of pop outs and a strikeout, leaving it the bottom of the Dodgers’ lineup to walk it off in the eleventh.
To open the eleventh, manager Dave Roberts called on Cavan Biggio to step in and lay down a bunt, which allowed Kiké Hernandez to advance to third base. Chris Taylor was able to work a walk, which put runners at the corners with just one out. This then brought up Ohtani; however, the Red Sox decided to intentionally walk him, loading up the bases for clutch hitter, Will Smith. Red Sox manager Alex Cora knew that the situation was desperate, so he pulled out the ol’ five-infielders trick in hopes of keeping the ball from reaching the outfield grass. Smith worked the count 2-0, before taking a sinking pitch to left field for a single, allowing Hernández to cruise into home with the winning run. Woo-hoo! What a game!
In this exciting win, the Dodgers were down multiple times, however, fans saw something the team has been lacking lately, fight. When their backs were against the wall, time and time again, the offense stepped in and was able to drive in a couple of runs, especially Hernández, who was not even in the starting lineup. There was some wear and tear on the bullpen tonight as the pitching staff relied on 7 pitchers throughout the game. Kelly was able to come back and did not miss a beat contributing to some of the scoreless innings. Dodgers look for the sweep tomorrow against the Boston Red Sox at 4 p.m. with James Paxton getting the start.
