After failing to cash in on several critical scoring opportunities in Saturday’s middle game, the Los Angeles Dodgers came up big in the finale on Sunday to defeat the Boston Red Sox 7-4 and win the weekend series two games to one.
MVP candidates Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman both had three hits apiece for the Dodgers, who moved to 80-49 and lead the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West by 12-1/2 games pending the results of Sunday’s later games.
Betts hammered his 35th homer of the season in the 6th inning, scoring Austin Barnes and stretching the Los Angeles lead to four. Freeman slammed two doubles to raise his tally to 50 on the year and increase his batting average to .341, currently sitting second in the majors.
Center fielder James Outman had two hits for the Dodgers, including a solo home run in the fourth inning, his 16th of the season. Shortstop Miguel Rojas added a pair of doubles.
Lefty Caleb Ferguson opened for the Dodgers, but Gavin Stone handled the brunt of the work on the mound, keeping the Boston Red Sox offense at bay just enough to earn the victory. The young righty entered the game in the second inning and threw six full frames, allowing four earned runs on five hits and two walks with three punchouts.
Ryan Brasier threw a spotless eighth, and Evan Phillips handled the ninth to earn his 21st save of the year.
In some sadder news, skipper Dave Roberts told reporters on Saturday that righty Tony Gonsolin’s arm injury could keep him off the mound for the first part of the 2024 season. The team moved Gonsolin to the 60-day disabled list today, officially ending his season and confirming what many had speculated earlier in the week.
Gonsolin’s roster spot went to pitcher Tyson Miller, who has tallied some serious frequent flyer miles with three different clubs over the last month. The Dodgers previously snagged Miller when the Brewers designated him for assignment in July. The Mets then claimed the right-hander when the Dodgers released him and were his fifth team in under three years of MLB service.
Miller returns to the Dodgers having appeared in 15 total games over the course of the season — 12 in relief — posting a 7.45 ERA and a 1.621 WHIP with 16 strikeouts and a whopping 17 walks over 29 innings of work.
Up next for the Dodgers is a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at home beginning Monday, followed by a huge four-game set against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium starting on Thursday.