Steve Webb
Game 100, 7/21/2024: Dodgers 9, Red Sox 6
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — Thank the Lord above for the All-Star break! After looking beyond listless on their last roadtrip of the first half, the Dodgers have opened the second half of the season with a three-game sweep of the playoff-contending Red Sox. In Sunday’s finale, the team showcased its power in an electrifying game, hitting six home runs to secure a 9-6 victory over the Beantowners. The standout performance came from Shohei Ohtani, who launched a towering home run that captivated the fans at Dodger Stadium.
James Paxton started this one for the hometown Dodgers, and it looked for a hot second like he might not even make it out of the first inning. The scoring began on the third pitch of the game, with Boston’s Jarren Duran hitting a two-run homer after a leadoff double on the first pitch. Yikes! Luckily, after experiencing a little wildness, he was able to get out of the inning with only those two runs being scored. There would be better times to come in this one for Big Maple.
In the bottom of the first, the Dodgers quickly responded when Freddie Freeman hit a two-out solo shot, his 16th of the season, cutting the deficit to 2-1. After an Andy Pages double, Gavin Lux then tied the game with an RBI double, making it 2-2 before many fans had even found their seats.
The Dodgers’ offense erupted in the following innings. Teoscar Hernández and Gavin Lux each hit solo home runs in the third and fourth innings, respectively, putting the Dodgers ahead 4-2. Gotta give some love to Luxy in this one. He had three hits and has now homered in back-to-back games. Could get used to that real fast.
The highlight of the night, though, came in the fifth inning when Shohei Ohtani blasted his 30th home run of the season, a deep shot to center field. At 473 feet, it was one of the longest home runs ever hit in Dodger Stadium, and surely Ohtani’s most impressive homer at the Ravine yet.
On the other side of the ball, James Paxton really settled into a groove after that first inning of trouble. His velo was way up on the fastball and he was landing a lot of first-pitch strikes. Though, I wouldn’t have believed you if you had told me three pitches in to the game, Paxton hung around long enough to pick up antoher win in Dodger blue, his eighth of the season. He pitched an excellent game before running out of gas in the top of the sixth. Paxton’s line for the night: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K.
And now back to our regularly scheduled programming. In the bottom of the fifth, Austin Barnes also contributed with a solo home run, extending the lead to 6-2. In the eighth inning, Jason Heyward added the final exclamation point with a two-run homer, bringing the score to 9-3. It was the Dodgers’ sixth home run of the evening.
Boston attempted a comeback in the ninth inning, scoring four runs off closer Evan Phillips (dude, seriously?), but it was not enough to overcome the Dodgers’ offensive onslaught. Daniel Hudson came in for emergency service and closed the door. This victory highlighted the Dodgers’ depth and power, with six different players contributing home runs. As the team looks to build momentum in the second half of the season, performances like these are a promising sign of their potential.
The Dodgers host the hated Giants for four games starting Monday, in a series which will feature THE RETURN OF THE GOAT as Clayton Kershaw will take to the mound on Thursday afternoon. But to get the series started, we might just see prized prospect River Ryan sailing into town. Chances are good he starts one of the other non-Kershaw days on the schedule. The Dodgers will square off against old nemesis Blake Snell on Monday night with a 7:10 first pitch. Hopefully, the momentum of this sweep will get us some hits against Snell for once. Hey Blake, don’t harsh our mellow, dude.
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