BOSTON — Under the lights of baseball’s most historic cathedral, the Los Angeles Dodgers waited until the eighth inning to drop the hammer.
With the game tied and tension rising, Teoscar Hernández launched a thunderous two-run homer over the Green Monster, stunning Red Sox Nation and propelling the Dodgers to a 5–2 victory Friday night at Fenway Park. The blast came off reliever Chris Martin, just when Boston thought they had the game under control.
Hernández’s 24th home run of the season wasn’t just a game-winner — it was a statement.
“We’re never out of it,” Hernández said postgame. “This team knows how to win late.”
Emmet Sheehan, making just his second MLB start of the season, held the Sox to one run over five solid innings. The rookie right-hander danced through danger, striking out four and showing poise beyond his years.
The bullpen took it from there. Ryan Brasier, Daniel Hudson, and Alex Vesia kept Boston quiet before Ben Casparius, in just his third MLB appearance, recorded the final three outs for his first career save. The 25-year-old punched the air in joy as the Fenway crowd fell silent.
“He’s earned this moment,” manager Dave Roberts said of Casparius. “We’ve been looking for guys to step up. Ben stepped up.”
Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, and Andy Pages all notched two hits apiece for L.A., who improved to 65–42, solidifying their place atop the NL West.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox — who had battled back to tie the game 2–2 in the sixth — were left stunned by the late surge. Their bullpen, a strength for much of the year, faltered at the worst possible moment.
The win marked the Dodgers’ 22nd come-from-behind victory this season and served notice to the rest of the league: the Boys in Blue may be banged up, but they’re still lethal — especially when it matters most.
Next up: Game 2 at Fenway. And with Shohei Ohtani possibly returning to the mound soon and trade deadline buzz swirling, this might just be the calm before the storm.
Stay tuned. L.A. isn’t done.