Crochet shakes off Ohtani's leadoff homer and outpitches Kershaw as Red Sox top Dodgers 4-2

Audio By Carbonatix

BOSTON (AP) — Garrett Crochet struck out 10 in six innings, Jarren Duran hit a two-run triple and the Boston Red Sox beat Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on Saturday night.

Boston rookie Roman Anthony added an RBI double off Kershaw as the Red Sox won for the third time in eight games since the All-Star break. Boston won 10 in a row heading into the break.

Crochet gave up two solo homers in the first. Shohei Ohtani went deep on the third pitch of the game for his 38th of the season, a day after his streak of five straight games with a home run was stopped. One batter later, Teoscar Hernández launched one over the Green Monster.

Crochet (12-4) quickly recovered, however, and allowed two runs or fewer for the 18th time in 22 starts this season. Aroldis Chapman got three outs for his 18th save, striking out pinch-hitter and former Red Sox star Mookie Betts to end it.

Making his first regular-season start at Fenway Park, Kershaw (4-2) gave up four runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings with two strikeouts.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner's only previous start in Boston came when the Red Sox beat the Dodgers in Game 1 of the 2018 World Series on the way to winning the title.

With the Red Sox trailing 2-0 in the second, Duran drove a pitch over center fielder Andy Pages’ head to the wall for a two-run triple and then scored on Abraham Toro’s sacrifice fly.

Duran had his first career game with two triples. The previous Red Sox player to do that was Betts during his 2018 AL MVP season.

RHP Dustin May (6-6, 4.73 ERA) starts Sunday for the Dodgers in the series finale. Boston RHP Walker Buehler (6-6, 5.72) faces his former team.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb