Dodgers outlast Red sox in 12-inning marathon

Los Angeles defeats the Red Sox, 7-4, in a game that lasted almost six hours.

BOSTON -- Sunday night turned into Monday morning at Fenway Park, and the Dodgers made themselves right at home playing on the equivalent of West Coast time.

 Boston succumbed to Los Angeles in the top of the 12th inning, as this World Series rematch finally reached the finish line. The Red Sox remain defending champions, but this served as a reminder that they are no longer the best team in baseball.

 That title belongs to the Dodgers, and they’re the first visiting club to win an inter-league series at this venue since 2014. The Cubs are no longer the answer to that particular trivia question, as Boston suffered a 7-4 defeat in a game that lasted almost six hours.

 Los Angeles took the last two contests of the weekend after the Red Sox steamrolled to victory in Friday’s opener. Boston’s bullpen finally buckled after six scoreless innings, and its 13-0-4 home series record against National League foes over the last five regular seasons finally includes a blemish in the loss column.

 Hector Velazquez was the seventh man summoned by Alex Cora and didn’t retire any of the first four batters he faced, including an interference call attempting to cover the bag at first that granted Cody Bellinger a free base. Max Muncy drew a bases-loaded walk to snap a 4-4 tie, Alex Verdugo added an RBI single to center and Russell Martin hustled for an RBI by avoiding a 6-4-3 double play grounder. The Dodgers handed a three-run cushion to Dylan Floro and former Boston right-hander Joe Kelly, who picked up his first save of the season.

 Some bad base running helped spoil a Red Sox threat in the bottom of the 11th. Jackie Bradley Jr. smacked a double off the Green Monster and was thrown out at third base when Marco Hernandez sent a bouncer to short. Boston followed the fielder’s choice with a Rafael Devers intentional walk and a Xander Bogaerts infield single, but J.D. Martinez tapped into a fielder’s choice at short.

 The Dodgers enjoyed a golden chance of their own in the top half of the inning. Justin Turner came to the plate with two on and two out against Heath Hembree and lined a single through the left side. Verdugo turned third and Andrew Benintendi fired a one-hop strike to the plate, cutting down the potential winning run.

 Boston squandered a golden opportunity to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth. Bradley drew a leadoff walk, was sacrificed to second by the pinch-hitting Hernandez and remained there as Betts drew an intentional walk. Los Angeles summoned closer Kenley Jansen, who retired Devers on a liner to left and Bogaerts on a swinging strikeout to extend the evening.

 The Red Sox missed another chance in the 10th when Christian Vazquez drew a one-out walk and stole second one out later. It was only the 13th swipe of his career, and it went for naught when Brock Holt struck out swinging while serving as a pinch hitter. Jansen was done with his 1 2/3 scoreless frames and it was on to the 11th.

 All the Red Sox needed to spark their offense was for Hyun-Jin Ryu to complete his night’s work. Pedro Baez was summoned for the eighth and roughed up immediately, as Bogaerts and Martinez launched back-to-back home runs. Bogaerts found the ledge of the Green Monster in left and Martinez sent one to the Boston bullpen in right-center, knotting the game at 4-4.

 The Dodgers made David Price work hard from the opening inning, as Chris Taylor drew a leadoff walk and Turner reached on an error to start the game. Price retired the next two batters but A.J. Pollock lofted a drive down the line in right that slipped into the first row of the boxes. It was a 326-foot pop that went for a three-run homer, making it 3-0.

 It was the first home run allowed by Price since June 2 at Yankee Stadium, a span of 147 batters faced.

 Los Angeles finally reached Price again in the fifth when David Freese lined a one-out double to left, moved to third on an infield out and scored when Pollock grounded an RBI single through the left side. The run-producing hit came on Price’s 104th pitch, setting a new season high, and it was 4-2 Dodgers.

 Price closed at 113 pitches in all, his most since an outing against the Yankees on Sept. 17, 2016. Only four times in his 98 appearances with the Red Sox has he thrown more. Price surrendered just four hits but was dragged down by a career-high 31 foul balls allowed.

 Boston nearly dug out of its deficit immediately. The Red Sox singled five times in the first, and only one of those balls left the infield. Benintendi’s grounder to short and subsequent throwing error by Taylor plated two runs, making it 3-2. Bradley grounded to first two batters later to end the threat.

 Ryu had retired 12 straight when Devers sent a two-out bouncer to third in the fifth. He was credited with a single, reached second on an errant throw by Muncy and remained there as Bogaerts drew a walk. Martinez followed with a single through the left side and third-base coach Carlos Febles opted for an aggressive send of Devers to the plate, one that backfired when Verdugo made a strong throw to retire Devers by some 10 feet.