Dodgers Crush Red Sox, 11-2, To Even Weekend Series
BOSTON (AP) — Justin Turner had three extra-base hits, two of them off Chris Sale to continue the Red Sox left-hander's struggles at Fenway Park, and the Los Angeles Dodgers snapped a four-game losing streak with an 11-2 victory over Boston in a rematch of last year's World Series.
Cody Bellinger moved into a tie for the major league lead with his 31st homer — one of four hit by the Dodgers, who had lost seven straight at Fenway (including Games 1 and 2 of the Series) after dropping the series opener on Friday night.
Sale (3-9) knows how they feel, going more than 12 months without winning a regular-season start in Boston.
Sale allowed five runs for the third straight outing — a career first — giving up seven hits, a walk and a hit batter to drop his record to 0-3 in 13 Fenway starts since his last win there on July 11, 2018. He gave up Turner's leadoff homer in the third that made it 2-0 and then an RBI double to start the scoring in the Dodgers' three-run third inning.
With a large and vocal Los Angeles contingent in the crowd, Ross Stripling (4-3) allowed one run — Xander Bogaerts' 19th homer — on four hits, striking out seven to snap Boston's five-game winning streak. Bellinger, who turned 24 on Saturday, and A.J. Pollock hit back-to-back homers off knuckleballer Steven Wright in the seventh for the Dodgers, who lead the majors with 61 victories.
The next batter, Max Muncy, lined one off Wright's foot to knock him out of the game.
OLD FRIENDS
Ex-Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly relieved Stripling to start the sixth with a 5-1 lead and gave up a flare single to Bogaerts that brought in one run. With two on, he threw an extremely high wild pitch to put runners on second and third, then worked a full count to Christian Vázquez. Vázquez fouled off a pair of pitches before fanning on a 99 mph fastball to end the inning.
CATCHING FLAK
With Sale pitching to his regular catcher Sandy León, Red Sox manager Alex Cora put Vázquez at first base to keep his bat in the lineup. He had a tough time.
In the fourth inning, Corey Seager hit a sharp grounder to first and Vázquez wheeled to throw to second to get the lead runner. The relay from Bogaerts at shortstop came back to first, where second baseman Brock Holt was covering.
Vázquez, who was in the area but a step or more away from the bag, nabbed the throw, but needed a second before realizing he had to hustle to tag the base before Seager got there.
There was no damage done, but that wasn't the case in the Dodgers' four-run eighth. With Muncy on first, Seager hit a slow roller back to the mound for the 1-3 putout; Muncy headed to third, which was uncovered because of the shift.
Vázquez threw behind third baseman Rafael Devers as he raced to the bag, the ball went into left and Muncy scored to make it 8-2.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: Manager Dave Roberts said LHP Scott Alexander is still not ready to return from left forearm inflammation. He wasn't on the injured list June 11 and remains in Arizona. "This has taken longer than expected," Roberts said.
Red Sox: 1B Mitch Moreland (right quadriceps strain, June 8) was "a little bit tight," Cora, and did not play in his rehab assignment on Friday. He's now scheduled to make an appearance for Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday. ... RHP Nathan Eovaldi (loose body, right elbow) was scheduled to pitch to live batters on Monday.
UP NEXT
The teams complete their three-game series on Sunday night, with Red Sox lefty David Price (7-2) facing All-Star Game starter Hyun-Jin Ryu (10-2).
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