Red Sox Use Five-Run Seventh to Beat Dodgers 9-4

What happened:

Watch the highlights:

The Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-4 on Friday night after turning the game with a five-run seventh inning. Ceddanne Rafaela delivered the decisive swing, a go-ahead two-run homer that shifted the opener away from Los Angeles after the Dodgers had already erased an early deficit.

Boston had led 3-0 in the third, but the Dodgers worked their way back. Los Angeles scored once in the fourth and then took a 4-3 lead in the fifth when Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run, two-out homer. The source report says Ohtani finished 2 for 5 with two runs and two RBIs, giving the Dodgers a major offensive contribution a night after he had sat out.

Why it matters:

The result was not just a late rally; it was a reminder of how quickly a series opener can flip when a team fails to separate after taking the lead. The Dodgers had the momentum after Ohtani's fifth-inning swing, but Boston's seventh inning turned a one-run deficit into a lead the Red Sox carried through the finish. For a club trying to build series control, losing a game after moving ahead in the middle innings is the kind of result that changes the pressure on the remaining matchups.

Tournament impact:

In regular-season terms, the game matters because it gives Boston the first move in the series and forces Los Angeles into response mode. A 9-4 final also carries more weight than a narrow escape because the Red Sox did damage late rather than simply holding on. That kind of inning can influence bullpen usage, lineup confidence, and the tactical feel of the next game, even though the source does not provide standings context or pitching details.

Ohtani watch:

Ohtani's performance is the most important Dodgers subplot. The source says he had been dealing with lingering soreness in his left knee and has not pitched since July 3, but he was productive at the plate in this game. That creates a split read: his bat was clearly impactful Friday, while his two-way status remains unresolved based on the information supplied.

What to watch:

The immediate question is whether Boston can carry the late-inning momentum into the rest of the series, and whether the Dodgers can avoid letting another game get away after building a lead. For Los Angeles, Ohtani's knee remains a monitoring point because the source confirms both recent soreness and his continued absence from the mound.

Confidence:

Confirmed by the source: Boston won 9-4, Rafaela hit the go-ahead two-run homer in a five-run seventh, Ohtani hit a two-run homer and went 2 for 5, and Ohtani had recently sat because of left knee soreness. Still needing follow-up: pitching usage, standings impact, and any update on when Ohtani may pitch again.