Crochet Carves, Duran Dashes, and Kershaw Crumbles

Fenway Park Hosts a Southpaw Showdown—Only One Brought the Heat

Saturday night at Fenway was billed as a duel of left-handed legends: Garrett Crochet, the Red Sox’s breakout ace, versus Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers’ aging icon. What we got was a one-sided masterclass in dominance and decline. Crochet sliced through the Dodgers lineup like a sushi chef on a deadline, while Kershaw looked like he was pitching with a GPS stuck in rerouting mode.

Boston took the win 4–2, but the score doesn’t capture the vibe. This was a game where the Sox punched early, held firm, and let their bullpen slam the door. The Dodgers? They hit two solo homers in the first inning and then spent the next eight innings playing hide-and-seek with the strike zone.

First-Inning Fireworks: Ohtani and Hernández Go Yard, Then Go Quiet

The Dodgers came out swinging—literally. Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández each launched solo shots off Crochet in the top of the first, and for a moment, it looked like the Red Sox were in for a long night. Ohtani’s blast was his 38th of the season, and Hernández’s 16th. Fenway groaned. Twitter lit up. And then… silence.

Crochet adjusted, locked in, and turned the next eight innings into a personal highlight reel. He retired 15 of the next 18 batters, struck out seven, and didn’t allow another run. The Dodgers finished 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven. That’s not clutch—it’s comedy.

Second-Inning Surge: Duran Triples, Toro Sacrifices, Sox Take the Lead

Boston responded in the bottom of the second with a rally that felt like a group therapy session for fans still traumatized by Narváez’s interference saga earlier in the week. Carlos Narváez and Trevor Story reached base, and Jarren Duran delivered a triple to deep center that scored both. Abraham Toro followed with a sacrifice fly to bring Duran home.

Three runs, all earned, and Kershaw looked like he’d aged five years between pitches. His final line: 4.2 innings, six hits, four earned runs, two walks, two strikeouts, and a whole lot of regret. His ERA ticked up to 3.62, and his fastball ticked down to “meh.”

Fifth-Inning Insurance: Roman Anthony Doubles, Bregman Scores

The Sox added a fourth run in the fifth when Roman Anthony doubled to deep center, scoring Alex Bregman. Anthony’s swing was smooth, his timing perfect, and his celebration appropriately subdued—because when you’re 21 and already making veterans look silly, you don’t need theatrics.

Boston’s offense tallied 10 hits, spread across the lineup like a well-balanced breakfast. Duran led the way with a triple and a double, Bregman added two hits, and Narváez quietly reached base twice without triggering any obscure rulebook clauses.

Crochet’s Redemption Arc: From First-Inning Fire to Final Frame

Garrett Crochet’s night was a study in resilience. After giving up two bombs in the first, he didn’t flinch. He threw 100 pitches, 66 for strikes, and finished with a line that screams ace: 6 innings, 2 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts. His ERA dipped to 2.23, and his win total climbed to 12.

Crochet now leads the team in innings pitched, strikeouts, and “games where he makes opposing hitters question their life choices.” If he’s not in the Cy Young conversation, the conversation is broken.

Chapman Closes with Swagger

Aroldis Chapman entered in the ninth and made quick work of the Dodgers’ final gasp. He struck out one, induced two flyouts, and earned his 18th save of the season. His ERA sits at a sparkling 1.31, and his fastball still touches 100 when he’s feeling spicy.

Chapman’s presence on the mound is part intimidation, part nostalgia, and part “please don’t hang a slider.” On Saturday, he was all business.

Defensive Gems: Duran and Rafaela Flash Leather

Jarren Duran didn’t just rake—he also threw out Freddie Freeman trying to stretch a double into a triple. Ceddanne Rafaela added an outfield assist of his own, gunning down Will Smith at second. The Red Sox defense turned two double plays and looked like a team that actually practices fundamentals. Shocking, we know. It also tells you something about Rafaela in centerfield. Can we leave him there please?

Dodgers’ Offense: Two Homers, Then a Group Nap

After the first inning, the Dodgers’ offense resembled a group of tourists trying to read a subway map. Ohtani and Hernández provided the fireworks, but the rest of the lineup fizzled. Freeman, Pages, Edman, and Rojas each had a hit, but none of it mattered. The Dodgers went hitless in the final three innings and looked increasingly frustrated as Crochet painted corners and Chapman slammed the door.

What It Means: Sox Hit 56 Wins, Dodgers Stumble

Boston improves to 56–50, inching closer to wild-card relevance and reminding everyone that they’re not just a punchline. The Dodgers fall to 61–44, still elite but suddenly mortal. The Red Sox have now won two of their last three and are showing signs of life after a brutal post-All-Star skid.

The trade deadline looms, and Boston’s front office has decisions to make. But if Crochet keeps pitching like this and the offense keeps waking up before the seventh inning, the Sox might just be buyers.

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