The Red Sox came firing out of the All-Star break and won fifth straight, bashing the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-1 in a World Series rematch at Fenway.
Eduardo Rodriguez allowed just one run on five hits over seven innings while the Red Sox rode solo homers from Rafael Devers and Christian Vazquez and a three-run shot from Xander Bogaerts to a one-sided victory.
WHO: Red Sox (49-41) vs. Dodgers (60-32)
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (9-4, 4.65) vs. RHP Kenta Maeda (7-5, 3.76)
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93. 7 FM
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
10:37 Sacrifice fly by Betts and a three-run HR by Xander Bog blows it wide open for the Red Sox.
9:43 Red Sox continue to get production from the bottom of the order -- one-out single from Bradley, fielders choice by Chavis and a wall-scraping double by Brock Holt scores an insurance run
8:54 Terrific catch by Jackie Bradley Jr. up against the LF scoreboard. Even more impressive: his usual after-the-third-out-throw-to-Mookie was a 250-foot rope.
8:50 Since allowing a solo homer to Verdugo, Rodriguez retired 13-of-14.
7:51 What a shot by Christian Vazquez, the only guy hotter than Devers in the lineup. Dating back to the end of the first half, that's five homers in the last eight games.
7:43 Nice play all around for the Sox, as Devers fields a big hop on a backhand behind the bag, then makes a long, strong throw to first, which is dug out by Michael Chavis at first on a nice pick.
7:40 Alex Verdugo drills a cutter over the middle of the plate and send it into the seats in right, tying the game. First homer in the last three starts allowed by Rodriguez.
7:29 Rafael Devers starts the second half the same way he finished the first half -- swats a fastball up in the zone into the Monster Seats. Five homers and 15 RBI in his last 15 games.
LINEUPS:
RED SOX
Betts RF
Devers 3B
Bogaerts SS
Martinez DH
Benintendi LF
Vazquez C
Bradley CF
Chavis 1B
Holt 2B
DODGERS
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Freese DH
Bellinger RF
Muncy 1B
Pollock CF
Verdugo LF
Hernandez 2B
Barnes C
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox begin the second half on a four-game winning streak and are a season-high eight games over .500...Since April 19, the Red Sox are exactly 100 runs up in run differential...The Sox lead the majors in batting average (.272) and on-base percentage (.345) and have scored six or more runs in 13 of their last 15 games and in 10 of the last 11...The Sox have also managed to score in the first inning in eight of the last 10 games.....Mookie Betts has reached base in the first inning in six of those 10 games...This season is the first in which the Sox have had seven players with 13 or more homers at the All-Star break....The Sox begin the second half of the season under .500 at home (20-22)...In interleague play, the Red Sox are 13-0-4 in their last 17 home series...Their last interleague home series loss was to the Cubs in 2014...They're 31-7 in the last 38 home interleague games...Dating back to June of 2015, the Sox haven't lost consecutive home interleague games...Overall, in interleague play, the Sox are 39-12 (.765) and 29-8 (.784) in their last 37 games....J.D. Martinez has an eight-game hitting streak, with two homers, six RBI and seven runs scored in that span....Eduardo Rodriguez is coming off a start in which he allowed one earned run in five innings...The Sox are 13-3 in his last 16 starts...He's gone at least five innings in 12 straight starts...The Sox are 9-0 when Rodriguez goes six or more innings....Russell Martin is 4-for-14 with a homer against Rodriguez and Kike Hernandez is 2-for-2.....Martinez is 0-for-6 against Kenta Maeda and Eduardo Nunez is 0-for-2.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- Nathan Eovaldi threw a 27-pitch bullpen Friday and felt "great'' according to Alex Cora. The organization has yet to map out what comes next. It could involve a live BP session or a rehab assignment. Eovaldi also threw one Wednesday.
- Cora said players from across the game told him that the Red Sox would have a strong second half. "I think that was the coolest thing at the All-Star game -- how man people in that (American League) clubhouse who still believe in us,'' said Cora. "They let us know how good we are. If we forget about that, the three guys that were there (Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez and Mookie Betts) and the coaching staff were reminded.''
- Brian Johnson, on the IL with a non-baseball medical issue, also threw a bullpen Wednesday and again Friday. He may soon go out on a rehab assignment.
- Mitch Moreland's rehab continues at Pawtucket. He'll remain there over the weekend before the Sox discuss his status Monday morning.