Freddie Freeman hit a grand slam in the eighth inning, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers secure a 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.
The pivotal moment came after Miguel Vargas walked and Chris Taylor struck out. Brennan Bernardino took over pitching duties and gave up a crucial double to Shohei Ohtani in left field. Will Smith’s subsequent walk loaded the bases, paving the way for Freeman, who smashed his 15th home run of the season.
“I was focused on driving in those runs, that’s my priority,” Freeman commented afterward. “Walks are part of the game, part of strategy. Sometimes it works out for us, sometimes it doesn’t.”
Following Freeman’s seventh career grand slam and his second this season, Dodger Stadium erupted with chants of “Freddie! Freddie!” Fans clamored for a curtain call, which Freeman acknowledged with a wave from the dugout steps.
The Dodgers, who struggled before the All-Star break, matched their total hits from the previous seven innings in the eighth, tallying two hits.
Ryan Yarbrough claimed the win, pitching a scoreless eighth inning with just one hit allowed, while Daniel Hudson secured his fifth save after giving up one hit in the ninth.
Jarren Duran, MVP of the All-Star Game, had earlier put the Red Sox ahead 1-0 with a solo home run off Gavin Stone in the fifth inning, his 11th of the season.
Nick Pivetta, starting for the Red Sox, held the Dodgers to two hits over six scoreless innings, facing only 21 batters, three above the minimum. Shohei Ohtani, who struck out three times earlier in the game, came through with a crucial hit in the eighth inning.
Gavin Stone, the Dodgers’ top pitcher with nine wins before the break, allowed one run and six hits in five innings. It marked the eighth time this season he has given up one earned run or fewer.
“I felt good. We had a tough end to the first half, so starting the second half strong was important,” Stone said.
