LOS ANGELES — On the day that Tarik Skubal made his first appearance at Chavez Ravine, the Los Angeles Dodgers couldn’t quite keep up the celebratory mood once they got on the field on Sunday, Aug. 2. The game almost felt secondary at times, and the final score – an 8-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox – reflected that.
There were moments where it seemed like the Dodgers would flip the switch and turn into the world beaters they have been for the past two seasons, like when Andy Pages made Boston starter Jake Bennett pay for intentionally walking Shohei Ohtani to re-load the bases in the bottom of the second inning with a two-RBI dribbler down the right field line that briefly gave LA a 3-2 lead.
But the Red Sox responded immediately by jumping all
over Emmet Sheehan for three home runs in the top of the third to reclaim the lead, chasing the rattled 26-year-old less than an inning after he struck out the side and reminding everyone that they are the hottest team in baseball right now as they’ve now won 27 of their last 32 games.
And more importantly, they reminded the baseball universe that the Dodgers are human after all.
Bennett locked in from there, quieting the LA lineup by not allowing another hit until Freddie Freeman legged out an infield single in the bottom of the sixth. Pages got another run back for the Dodgers in the seventh when he lined a double down the left field line to score Max Muncy from second, but a disastrous error-filled top of the eighth put the final nail in the coffin on this one.
It’s the first time the Dodgers have been swept since July 12 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in their final series before the All-Star break. But considering the last 24 hours, LA probably won’t dwell on this one for too long.
FINAL: Red Sox 8, Dodgers 4
The Dodgers have been swept for the first time since the All-Star break behind four Red Sox home runs, a solid outing from Jake Bennett once he got settled in and overall sloppy play. Boston reminded everyone that they are the hottest team in baseball right now and, perhaps more importantly, that the Dodgers aren't infallible.
Red Sox score twice on a pair of Dodger errors in top of the 8th
Relif pitcher Wyatt Mills and rookie catcher Eliezer Alfonzo Jr. couldn't quite get on the same page with runners on second and third. Mills' third pitch to Anthony Seigler went low and inside, just barely missing the pinch hitter's shins as it sailed past Alfonzo and allowed Caleb Durbin to score on the wild pitch. Two pitches later, another Mills fastball -- this one outside -- again got past the glove of Alfonzo as Andruw Monasterio came home.
The Red Sox take an 8-4 lead, all but assuring a three-game sweep of the Dodgers.
And just like that, Jarren Duran's sacrifice bunt immediately pays off. pic.twitter.com/oTEnlax8cU
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) August 3, 2026
Andy Pages knocks in third RBI of the day against Red Sox in bottom of the 7th
Pages' patience paid off. After fouling back six pitches from Boston reliever Tyron Guerrero, he finally put his barrel on the ninth pitch of the at-bat, extending his bat below the zone to connect on slider and line it down the left field line. Muncy scored from second base on Pages' double, his third RBI on the day and the Dodgers' first run since the second inning.
Red Sox lead 6-4.
パヘスがタイムリーツーベースヒット💥
— 【MLB速報】放送地区【大谷速報】 (@MLB_comment) August 3, 2026
ドジャースが1点を返す！LAD 4-6
Andy Pages #Dodgers ©SportsNetLA pic.twitter.com/wTTbsQ8cFs
Jake Bennett gets standing ovation after getting pulled in bottom of the 6th inning
Bennett got a nod of appreciation from the Red Sox fans in attendance at Dodger Stadium as he walked off the mound with two outs in the bottom of the 6th. The 25-year-old left-hander did a solid job quieting the Dodger bats, not allowing a hit after giving up a three-spot in the second until Freddie Freeman's infield single in the sixth.
Bennett finishes the day with six hits, three runs, three earned runs, two walks and four strikeouts on 88 pitches over 5 2/3 innings.
Jarren Duran goes deep in top of 6th, Red Sox take 6-3 lead over Dodgers
Duran caps off a much-needed productive series in LA by crushing a changeup from Kyle Hurt 420 feet into the right field pavilion seats for his first home run since July 5. It's also Boston's fourth long ball of the game as they open up a three-run lead heading into the final third of the game.
Jarren Duran hits a moonshot to extend the @RedSox lead 🚀 pic.twitter.com/h5T2xHOkFe
— MLB (@MLB) August 3, 2026
Tarik Skubal arrives at Dodger Stadium
The Dodgers' shiny new trade deadline acquisition emerged in the dugout wearing a blue interlocking LA hat and hoodie as he dapped up his new teammates and greeted manager Dave Roberts. As Clayton Kershaw said on the NBC broadcast, "He looks a little weird in Dodger blue, but I think Dodger fans will get used to it very quickly."
Tarik Skubal meets his new @Dodgers manager and teammates during #SundayNightBaseball! pic.twitter.com/5dZMT7kAEZ
— MLB (@MLB) August 3, 2026
Red Sox hit three home runs in top of third, take 5-3 lead over Dodgers
It didn't take long for Boston to re-take the lead. Ceddanne Rafaela jumped all over a slider that Emmet Sheehan left over the heart of the plate and drove it over the fence in left-center field for his fourth home run of the series. Sheehan hung another slider to Wilyer Abreu, who crushed it 431 feet to give the Sox two quick runs to lead off the third inning.
Masataka Yoshida later put his bat on an inside fastball for a liner that hugged the right field foul pole for a third long ball of the frame. Sheehan was pulled after plunking Andruw Monasterio in the next at-bat.
NOW MASATAKA YOSHIDA DELIVERS THE 3RD HOMER OF THE INNING!
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) August 3, 2026
THIS TEAM JUST KEEPS SHOWING THEY GOT A NEW IDENTITY OVER AND OVER! pic.twitter.com/HWC70oYaGd
Dodgers surge ahead in bottom of the second
Kyle Tucker and Teoscar Hernández connected on back-to-back singles with one out, but didn't score on Max Muncy's single off the right field wall as it hung in the air, prompting Tucker to hold up at third to load the bases up.
Rookie Eliezer Alfonzo Jr. scored Tucker on a shallow groundball to shortstop for LA's first run of the game. Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked to re-load the bases with two outs, and Andy Pages made the Sox pay with a screamer down the right field line to bring in two runs and give the Dodgers the lead.
Sheehan bounces back in second inning
The 26-year-old right-hander responded in a big way to his 30-pitch first inning by striking out the side on 15 pitches in the second.
Rough first inning for Emmet Sheehan as Red Sox jump out to 2-0 lead
Sheehan gave up a lead off walk to Nick Sogard and continued to find himself falling behind his counts as he gave up three hits in the opening frame. Masataka Yoshida drove in Ceddanne Rafaela from second base on a single to left field for the first run of the game and Caleb Durbin immediately followed that up with an RBI base hit of his own to score Wilyer Abreu.
Sheehan threw 30 pitches in the top of the first before striking out Andruw Monasterio for the third out.
Durbin's turn for a 1st inning knock 👏 pic.twitter.com/XrM4dJEZ4X
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 2, 2026
Dalton Rushing scratched from lineup
Rushing had been slated to bat ninth in LA's order, but was pulled just before first pitch. The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya reported that Rushing was sat with a "minor arm issue" and is not cause for concern. Eliezer Alfonzo Jr. started in Rushing's place.
Dodgers vs. Red Rox starting lineups
Los Angeles Dodgers lineup
- Shohei Ohtani, DH
- Andy Pages, CF
- Tommy Edman, 2B
- Freddie Freeman, 1B
- Mookie Betts, SS
- Kyle Tucker, RF
- Teoscar Hernández, LF
- Max Muncy, 3B
- Eliezer Alfonzo, C
Boston Red Sox lineup
- Nick Sogard, 2B
- Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
- Wilyer Abreu, RF
- Willson Contreras, 1B
- Masataka Yoshida, DH
- Caleb Durbin, 3B
- Andruw Monasterio, SS
- Jarren Duran, LF
- Carlos Narváez, C
What time is Boston Red Sox vs Los Angeles Dodgers?
First pitch between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, Aug. 2.
How to watch Boston Red Sox vs Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, at 6:33 a.m.
- Matchup: BOS at LAD
- Date: Sunday, Aug. 2
- Time: 7:20 p.m. (ET)
- Venue: Dodger Stadium
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- TV: NBC and Peacock
- Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo
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MLB scores, results
MLB scores for Aug. 2 games are available on usatoday.com . Here's how to access today's results:
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Red Sox sweep Dodgers as Tarik Skubal looks on: Live updates, highlights
