FINAL: Red Sox 8, Dodgers 5 - Duvall hits go-ahead homer; Betts leaves bases loaded in 9th

WHO: Dodgers (79-48) at Red Sox (68-61) 
WHEN: 4:10 p.m. 
WHERE: Fenway Park, Boston. 
SERIES TO DATE: Dodgers lead, 1-0. 
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Julio Urias (11-6 4.15 ERA) vs. LHP James Paxton (7-4, 3.79 ERA) 
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

LIVE BOX

LINEUP 

RED SOX

Verdugo RF
Turner DH
Refsnyder LF
Devers 3B
Duvall CF
Story DH 
Reyes SS 
Urías 2B
Wong C
Paxton SP

DODGERS

Betts RF
Freeman 1B 
Smith C
Muncy 3B 
Rosario 2B
Hernández CF
Outman DH 
Taylor LF 
Rojas SS
Urias SP 

PRE-GAME NOTES

RHP Kenley Jansen (hamstring) could return on Sunday, according to Alex Cora. The closer left Wednesday's win against the Astros after three pitches, threw long toss on Friday and a bullpen session on Saturday ahead of a potential appearance in the series finale. Setup man Chris Martin will likely act as closer on Saturday, if needed. 

OF Mookie Betts returns to right field after starting Friday's Dodgers win at second base, assisting LA's infield depth sporadically this season. Betts moved to right in the eighth inning of his first game back at Fenway Park since his trade from Boston, finishing 1-4 with his quick throw into the infield on Alex Verdugo's single that could've loaded the bases catching Connor Wong turning too far around second base. Wong entered as a pinch runner for Reese McGuire (3-4) and starts on Saturday after calling his error unacceptable. 

"A little late picking up (third base coach Carlos) Fables," Wong explained. "It just can't happen in that situation. It can't happen ... I have to know (Triston) Casas is in front of me, regardless of the jump I feel like I got. If I picked up Febles earlier, and I don't even think I'd (turn around second base)." 

Alex Verdugo (3-5, HR), the other player remaining in Boston from the Betts trade, savored the experience of playing against his old team as part of his recent run of dominance in the leadoff spot. He'll remain there over OF Rob Refsnyder, who had recently batted first against left-handed starters.  

"It makes me reminisce when I first got drafted to them as a kid and growing up and seeing how far I've came from there, but like I said, it's a weird feeling, I don't really know how to explain," Verdugo said, answering a Boston Sports Journal question. "At the end of the day, I'm excited to compete against that team. I'm excited to go up there and be in the situation where I can help the Red Sox win. I know a lot of those guys over there (on the Dodgers) and they're all good guys, nothing against them, but it was a business. I got traded. You ask anybody who gets traded, they always want to do good against their former team and I don't think anybody's gonna sit here and lie and blow smoke up anybody's butts. I want to do good against that team and I want to let them know." 

WHAT'S UP 

The Red Sox lost last night after winning back-to-back games at HOU...They’re 11-7 in their last 18 games...The Sox are 28-19 (.596) in their last 47 games since 6/30, tied with MIL for MLB’s 6th-best record in that time...At 68-61 (.527), the Red Sox are tied with ARI for MLB’s 11th-best record... The Red Sox have homered in each of their last 14 games (23 total HR), their longest streak since August 2019 (19 games, 8/7-30)...The Sox have homered in 22 of their 23 August games, after homering in only 16 of their previous 28 games...BOS has hit 17 HR in their last 9 games, 2nd most in MLB during that span (beginning 8/17) behind PHI (18)...Alex Verdugo has led off each of the Red Sox’ last 2 games with a HR, his 3rd and 4th career leadoff HR...Verdugo has multiple hits and at least 1 run scored, RBI, and XBH in each of the Boston’s last 3 games (9-for-17, 3 R, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI)... He has 3+ hits in 4 of his last 8 games, batting .405 in that span (15-for-37, 8 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB)....The Red Sox have recorded at least 9 hits in 9 consecutive games, their longest streak since 2013 (14 games, 6/21-7/6)...They’re batting .321 with a .380 OBP and .910 OPS in that span... The only teams this season to record longer streaks this season are ATL and TOR (both 10 games)...Overall, the Sox lead MLB in doubles (281)...Among AL teams, they rank 2nd in AVG (.265) and XBH (447), and 3rd in OBP (.331), SLG (.438), and OPS (.769)...The Red Sox are 23-24 in day games (.489), compared to 45-36 at night (.556)...They’ve  won their last 3 day games after losing 9 of their previous 10...This is the 2nd time this season the Sox have won 3 consecutive day games (also 4/6-9 at DET)...The Sox have averaged more runs per game during the day (5.26) than at night (4.82), but have posted a lower ERA at night (4.10) than during the day (4.82)...The Sox are 6-5 so far in their stretch of 16 consecutive days with a game from 8/15-30...They’re in a stretch of 32 games in 34 days (7/28-8/30)....With RISP, Boston ranks 2nd in MLB in hits (321), and ranks 3rd in AVG (.281) and OBP (.356)...The Sox went 1-for-8 with RISP last night after going 14-for-33 (.424 AVG) with RISP in their last 2 games....In games they’ve won, the Red Sox have hit .352 with an MLB-best .998 OPS with RISP...In their losses, they’ve hit .174 with a .516 OPS with RISP...LHP James Paxton allowed season high 7 runs (6 ER) over 4.0 IP on Monday at HOU (9 H, 3 BB, 4 SO)...Has pitched 5.0+ innings in 13 of his 17 starts...Has allowed 2 ER or fewer in 11 of them, and issued 2 or fewer walks in 14 of them...Is 1-0 with a 4.85 ERA (7 ER/13.0 IP) in 2 career starts vs. LAD. 43 of his 96 strikeouts have come with the 4-seam fastball....In his last 14 starts, beginning on 5/31, is 6-3 with a 3.54 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, .241 opponent AVG, and 3.90 SO/BB (76.1 IP, 33 R/30 ER, 71 H, 20 BB, 78 SO)....Owns a 2.58 home ERA (11 ER/38.1 IP) and a 4.67 road ERA (27 ER/52.0 IP)...Is 3-2 with a 3.74 ERA (14 ER/33.2 IP) in 6 starts following a team loss this season...