MLB/ Ohtani’s 473-foot drive leads 6-homer onslaught for Dodgers in 9-6 win over Red Sox

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

July 22,_ _ 2024 at 11:25 JST

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Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani celebrates while running the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, July 21, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo)

LOS ANGELES--Shohei Ohtani hit a 473-foot home run and the Los Angeles Dodgers went deep six times in a 9-6 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández, Gavin Lux, Austin Barnes and Jason Heyward also connected as Los Angeles swept the three-game series.

It was the 25th time the Dodgers launched at least six homers in a game and first since 2022 against Kansas City. Five came off Boston starter Kutter Crawford (6-8).

Jarren Duran, the MVP of last Tuesday’s All-Star Game, homered and drove in four runs for the Red Sox (53-45), who fell a game behind the Royals (55-45) for the final AL wild card.

James Paxton (8-2) allowed three runs on four hits and struck out seven in five innings. Boston rallied for three runs in the ninth, but Daniel Hudson came in for his sixth save.

Barnes’ solo shot gave the Dodgers a 5-2 lead in the fifth, and Ohtani drove a cutter from Crawford 473 feet over the bleachers to become the first NL player with 30 homers this season. Aaron Judge leads the majors with 35.

According to fans in the area, the ball sailed between the pavilion roof and an advertisement sign in right-center field, but it cleared the concourse and landed on the walkway in the ballpark plaza.

It is the fourth straight season in which Ohtani has homered at least 30 times.

Crawford allowed six runs and seven hits in five-plus innings.

Boston took a 2-0 lead three pitches into the game. Romy Gonzalez led off with a double on the first pitch before Duran drove Paxton’s fastball into the bleachers in left-center.

The Dodgers tied it in the bottom half on Freeman’s solo shot to right-center and Lux’s RBI double.

Hernández, the winner of last Monday’s Home Run Derby, gave Los Angeles the lead when he connected on a drive that just got over the short wall near the right-field corner.

Lux had a solo shot in the fourth and Heyward, activated off the injured list before the game, hit a two-run drive off former Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen in the eighth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: OF Rob Refsnyder was scratched from the lineup due to left shoulder soreness after trying to make a diving catch on Saturday.

Dodgers: Heyward missed two weeks due to a left knee bone bruise.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: RHP Tanner Houck (8-6), fourth in the majors with a 2.54 ERA, will start Monday’s series opener at Colorado.

Dodgers: RHP River Ryan is expected to be called up for his big league debut Monday against San Francisco.