Will Smith singled with the bases loaded and one out in the 11th inning to bring home Kiké Hernández, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers stage a comeback for a 7-6 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Smith hit a line drive to center field off Greg Weissert (2-2) to seal the win for the Dodgers.
“It was a game that swung back and forth all night. It feels great to come out on top,” Smith said. “I was just looking for a pitch to hit and put in play.”
Hernández started the inning as the runner on second base. He advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by pinch-hitter Cavan Biggio. Chris Taylor walked, and Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked to set the stage for Smith, who secured his sixth career walk-off hit and first since 2022.
“They didn’t want Shohei to beat them tonight, so it was Will’s turn. I trust any of those guys at the plate in clutch situations. It was a huge win for us,” manager Dave Roberts commented.
Hernández, who entered the game in the seventh inning, played a crucial role twice for the Dodgers. He tied the game at 4 in the ninth with a solo home run to left-center field against former Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen.
It was the first home run Jansen had allowed this season.
“He gave me a pitch I could handle, and I took advantage. After that, it was all about competing,” Hernández said. He also leveled the score at 6 in the 10th with a single up the middle that drove in Andy Pages, who had doubled with one out to bring in automatic runner Freddie Freeman.
Blake Treinen (3-2) earned the win by retiring the Red Sox in order in the 11th inning. Tyler O’Neill hit two two-run homers for the Red Sox, who had won their previous six games decided by one run.
With Jarren Duran as the automatic runner in the 10th inning, O’Neill’s two-run homer off Evan Phillips, leading off the inning, marked his third multi-homer game of the season as a designated hitter for the Red Sox.
