G92: Dodgers 11, Red Sox 2

Dodgers - 101 030 411 - 11 14  1
Red Sox - 000 101 000 -  2  6  1

Chris Sale (4.2-7-5-1-7, 92) began the fifth inning by allowing a single and hitting a batter. With one out, Justin Turner and David Freese hit back-to-back doubles, giving the Dodgers a 5-1 lead.

Turner finished the night with two doubles, a home run, three runs scored, and two RBI.

Steven Wright gave up solo home runs to Cody Bellinger and A.J. Pollock in the seventh.

Xander Bogaerts knocked in both of Boston's runs, hitting his 19th home run of the year in the fourth and singling in Mookie Betts (who singled and stole second) in the sixth.

AL East: Blue Jays 2, MFY 1. Orioles 2, Rays 1 (makeup of May 5 game). Rays 12, Orioles 4. ... MFY –, TBR 6.0, BOS 9.0.

Ross Stripling / Chris Sale

Betts, RF
Devers, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Martinez, DH
Benintendi, LF
Vázquez, 1B
Holt, 2B
León, C
Bradley, CF

The fact that Chris Sale has not won a regular season game at Fenway Park in more than a year will certainly be mentioned (at least once) by NESN's Dave O'Brien this evening. And while the statement is true, it's also some serious bullshit.

In Sale's very next home start after getting that last W on July 11, he threw six scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and two walks and striking out 10. But because the Red Sox bullpen blew the lead three innings after Sale left the game, his excellent outing was 'meaningless'.

In fact, in Sale's three home starts after July 11, he threw 10 scoreless innings. But since he did not get a magical W, that 0.00 ERA is garbage. Those starts came during an insane streak of nine starts in which Sale allowed only one run in 48 innings. But, again, who cares about a 0.19 ERA when there are no home wins included?

This year, Sale has made eight starts at home and is 0-2. Note to OB and all Boston sports media: It's never wise to ignore 75% of relevant data in making a determination.

Here is what Sale did in four of those six no-decisions:

April 23 vs Tigers:  5 innings, 5 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
April 28 vs Rays:    7 innings, 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 3 walks,  8 strikeouts
May 14 vs Rockies:   7 innings, 3 hits, 2 earned runs, 0 walks, 17 strikeouts
June 10 vs Rangers:  7 innings, 3 hits, 0 earned runs, 1 walk,  10 strikeouts

Sale allowed six earned runs in those 26 innings (and struck out 45 batters), but his 2.08 ERA is ignored, because events well beyond his control left him with an 0-0 record.

Overall, Sale has made 12 starts at Fenway since his last home win. He is 0-2 (his 10 no-decisions represent 83% of those starts); and has a 3.69 ERA and an excellent 1.066 WHIP (that would be 6th in the AL this year). His totals: 61 innings, 48 hits, 29 runs, 25 earned runs, 17 walks, 97 strikeouts (his 14.3 K/9 would lead the majors this year).

The Red Sox are 16-7 in their last 23 games and they have scored in the first inning in nine of their last 11 games.

Rafael Devers is hitting .411 with a 1.230 OPS in 23 games since June 11. ... Mookie Betts has scored a run in each of his last seven games. ... Brock Holt is batting .364 since returning from the IL on May 27 (28 games). In those games, he's hitting .522 (12-for-23) with RATS.

Last Night:

The Los Angeles Angels played their first home game since the sudden death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs. After Debbie Skaggs (Tyler's mother) threw out the first pitch, the Angels (all wearing #45) scored seven runs in the first inning - Mike Trout, who was drafted with Skaggs in 2009, drove in four with a first-pitch home run and a double - and Taylor Cole and Felix Peña combined for a no-hitter as the Angels won 13-0 on the eve of what would have been Skaggs's 28th birthday. The Angels ended the evening by laying all of their jerseys on the mound.

AL East: Blue Jays/MFY and Rays/Orioles, 1 PM. ... MFY –, TBR 6.5, BOS 9.0.