The Boston Red Sox trailed the Los Angeles Dodgers heading into the seventh inning Friday night. The back-to-back World Series champions had momentum at Dodger Stadium, and Boston’s offense needed an answer.
It found one. Ceddanne Rafaela launched a two-run homer to give the Red Sox the lead. Caleb Durbin reached on a bunt single to help pack the bases, and Andruw Monasterio added a two-run double that blew the inning open. Five runs crossed the plate before it was over.
Boston’s 9-4 win moved the club to 58-51. It also closed the book on a month unlike any other in franchise history.
Best Month the Red Sox Have Ever Played
July’s final ledger read 21-4. An .840 winning percentage that surpassed the .800 marks set in August 1950 and June 1901. No Red Sox team has ever played a better month across 125 years of baseball.
The turnaround has been staggering. Boston sat at 37-47 entering July. What followed was a run that reshaped the entire season. The Red Sox climbed into the third wild-card spot and now sit within striking distance of the division.
The belief running through the clubhouse is tangible. This group has learned how to win in different ways, manufacturing runs, grinding through tough innings, and refusing to fold when the moment gets uncomfortable.
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 31: Ceddanne Rafaela #3 of the Boston Red Sox rounds the bases on a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Bello Delivers When It Matters Most
Brayan Bello provided exactly what Boston needed Friday. The right-hander came out of the bullpen and held the Dodgers scoreless across four innings to finish the game. His biggest moment came in the sixth, when he stranded three runners to keep the deficit at one before the offense broke through.
Across three appearances since rejoining the major league roster, Bello has surrendered just one earned run in 13⅔ innings. His fastball has been sitting 96-97, and his pitch selection has looked more decisive. The rest between outings has worked in his favor.
The outing gave Boston’s late-inning arms a complete rest heading into a stretch of 16 consecutive games without a day off. Chad Tracy mentioned the possibility of slotting Bello back into the rotation during that run. Nothing is guaranteed, but the conversation is happening.
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 31: Brayan Bello #66 of the Boston Red Sox delivers to the plate in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Final Word for the Red Sox
Twenty-one wins in July. A franchise record that stood for 76 years, broken. A comeback against the best team in the National League to cap it off.
August starts now. The schedule gets heavier, the deadline looms, and the margin for error shrinks. But this is a different team than the one that limped into July under .500.
The Red Sox have proven that. Twenty-one times.
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