Kiké Hernández caps milestone day with heroic effort in thrilling Dodgers win

Kiké Hernández was having a pretty memorable Saturday even before he set foot in Dodger Stadium, the veteran utility man starting the weekend with an emotional family gathering to mark the day he reached 10 years of major league service time, a milestone fewer than 10% of players achieve. “It’s been a day of a lot of reflection,” Hernández said at his corner locker afterward, his brow still sweaty and his uniform covered in dirt. The lead changed hands three times in the the first seven innings, with Tyler O’Neill crushing a two-run homer off left-hander Anthony Banda to give the Red Sox a 4-3 lead in the seventh, an inning that began with James Outman making a spectacular, leaping catch of a Rob Refsnyder drive as the Dodgers center fielder crashed into the wall. “But I’m sure he might have some words tomorrow.” The Red Sox took a 6-4 lead in the top of the 10th when O’Neill hit his second homer of the game, a two-run shot to center off Dodgers closer Evan Phillips, one of the relievers responsible for blowing a five-run lead in the ninth inning of a walk-off loss to the Detroit Tigers in the next-to-last game before the All-Star break. “Inheriting the baserunner, it’s hard to get out of there with no run.” Pinch-hitter Cavan Biggio opened the bottom of the 11th with a sacrifice bunt to advance Hernández, the automatic runner, to third.