By Tiffany Williams –
BOSTON – Friday night at Fenway Park, the Red Sox dropped a 5-2 decision to the Los Angeles Dodgers, falling to two and five since the All-Star break after riding a ten-game winning streak into it. The loss snapped Boston’s season-high seven-game home winning streak—their longest since a nine-game run in 2021—and marked their third straight defeat in a series opener. The Sox fell to nine and twenty-six this year when failing to homer, compared to forty-six and twenty-four when they go deep.
Offensively, the Red Sox have scored two runs or fewer in five of their last seven games, going 0-5 in those contests, a stark contrast from the stretch prior, when they scored four or more runs in twelve of thirteen games. Nine of Boston’s last eleven games have been decided by three runs or fewer, with a five and four record, and they have now allowed ten or more hits in consecutive games for the first time since early July, dropping to ten and twenty-three in such outings.
Brayan Bello saw his streak of eight consecutive quality starts come to an end Friday night, allowing three runs on six hits over five and one-third innings with two walks and five strikeouts. Despite that, he logged his seventeenth outing this season with three earned runs or fewer. Bello has now held opponents to three earned runs or fewer in twelve straight appearances since May 23, his second-longest such streak behind a fourteen-game run in 2023. Over his last ten games, including nine starts dating back to June 3, the right-hander is four and four with a 3.00 ERA, twenty-one earned runs in sixty-three innings pitched, fifty strikeouts, a 1.06 WHIP, and a .224 opponent batting average.
Alex Bregman went one-for-four with an RBI double in the third inning, cutting the deficit to three-two. The veteran third baseman has now reached base in thirty-six of his last forty-two games since April 15, batting .297 with a .958 OPS during that stretch.
Jarren Duran continued his strong play, going one-for-three with an RBI single and a walk. He drove in a run in the third inning to make it three-one and later came around to score. Duran has reached safely in eighteen of his last twenty games since June 29, hitting .265 with a .957 OPS.
Connor Wong also chipped in, going one-for-three with a double and a run scored. The extra-base hit was his first of the season, coming in his one hundred second plate appearance—making him the first Red Sox player to reach that mark without an extra-base hit since Mike Greenwell in 1992, who doubled in his one hundred third plate appearance.
The Los Angeles Dodgers opened their nine-game road trip with a 5-2 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park, improving to three and one in Interleague play against American League East opponents and nineteen and twelve overall in Interleague matchups this season. The victory marked their third win in four games following a two and ten slump and extended their dominance over Boston, improving to ten and two in their last twelve regular season meetings dating back to 2016.
Teoscar Hernández led the charge, going one-for-three with a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth—his first since June 24 at Colorado—and adding a bases-loaded walk to finish with three RBIs.
Emmet Sheehan held Boston to two runs over five innings, matching a season high and keeping the Red Sox hitless outside of a three-hit third inning.
Andy Pages stayed hot, going two-for-three with a double, RBI, and sacrifice fly—now seven-for-fifteen over his last five games.
Tommy Edman opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second inning and is six-for-his-last eighteen after snapping a prolonged slump.
Will Smith tallied his thirty-first multi-hit game of the year, going two-for-five to boost his National League-leading batting average to .325.
Friday night’s 5-2 loss at Fenway Park to the Los Angeles Dodgers underscored some of the Red Sox’s ongoing struggles as they enter the second half of the season. After a hot start following the All-Star break, Boston’s momentum has stalled, with the team now two and five since the break. The snapped seven-game home winning streak highlights the fragile nature of their recent success and raises questions about the team’s ability to maintain consistency against quality opponents.
One glaring issue remains Boston’s reliance on the long ball. The stark contrast between their nine and twenty-six record in games without a home run versus forty-six and twenty-four when they do clear the fences shows the offense’s struggle to manufacture runs otherwise. The fact that they’ve been held to two runs or fewer in five of their last seven games, with no wins in those contests, points to a concerning offensive downturn. Their earlier stretch of scoring four or more runs in twelve of thirteen games was a key driver of their hot streak, and the sudden drop-off could signal opposing pitchers’ adjustments or fatigue among key hitters.
Pitching-wise, Brayan Bello’s outing was a mixed bag. Ending an impressive streak of eight quality starts, his three-run, five and one-third inning performance still fits within his strong overall season. His ability to limit damage consistently is a bright spot for Boston, with twelve straight outings allowing three or fewer earned runs and an overall 3.00 ERA since early June. Bello’s solid strikeout numbers and low WHIP illustrate his effectiveness, even when not at his sharpest, and he remains a cornerstone of the rotation.
Offensively, Alex Bregman continues to be a stabilizing force, reaching base in most recent games and contributing timely hits. His consistent on-base ability, a .297 average and .958 OPS over forty-two games, makes him a valuable catalyst in the lineup. Jarren Duran’s hot streak is equally encouraging; reaching safely in eighteen of twenty games signals his emerging role as a dynamic offensive contributor. Connor Wong’s first extra-base hit after over one hundred plate appearances is notable, though it also points to the limited power production from some of Boston’s role players, an area that may need addressing.
For the Dodgers, the victory signified a return to form after a troubling two and ten skid. Their sustained dominance over the Red Sox—ten and two in the last dozen meetings—speaks to a matchup advantage that Boston has struggled to overcome. Teoscar Hernández’s timely power display, snapping a prolonged homer drought, could provide a momentum boost for Los Angeles. Emmet Sheehan’s steady pitching performance, limiting Boston mostly to a single inning of trouble, demonstrated effective game management and kept the Red Sox offense largely in check.
Contributions from role players like Andy Pages, Tommy Edman, and Will Smith, who leads the National League with a .325 average, highlight the Dodgers’ depth. Their ability to get production from across the lineup, not just from stars, is a key factor in their sustained success.
Overall, the game illustrated the challenges Boston faces balancing solid pitching with inconsistent offense, particularly in games without power hitting. The Dodgers, meanwhile, showcased their resilience and depth, extending their grip on this matchup and setting a tone for the road trip ahead.