Red Sox hurlers stymie Dodgers

Joseph Guerra and Miguel Socolovich combined on a four-hitter as the visiting Red Sox beat the Dodgers, 5-1, on Thursday to knot the Gulf Coast Finals.

Guerra (1-0) yielded one run on four hits and struck out one without issuing a walk in six innings. The 19-year-old right-hander retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced as the Dodgers forced a decisive Game 3.

Socolovich tossed three hitless frames, striking out one and walking two to earn the save. The 20-year-old right-hander allowed leadoff walks in the eighth and ninth innings.

The Red Sox jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the second when Michael Jones drew a leadoff walk, moved to third on second baseman Elian Herrera's throwing error and scored on first baseman Jamie Ortiz's throwing error.

With the game tied in the fourth, 1-1, Jones scored the go-ahead run for the Red Sox after reaching on another error by Herrera and advancing on a wild pitch by starter Michael Gardner (0-1). The 21-year-old first baseman moved to third on a groundout and came home on Chih-Hsien Chiang's groundout.

The Red Sox broke it open in the ninth on Pedro Vasquez's two-run homer and Ryan Kalish's RBI single. Vasquez had two of the five hits for the Red Sox.

Herrera drove in the Dodgers' lone run with an infield single in the third. Francisco Lizarraga had two of the Dodgers' four hits.

Gardner allowed two unearned runs on two hits and two walks while striking out five over six innings. Mario Garcia was touched up for three runs on three hits in three frames. He struck out one and did not walk a batter.

The Red Sox host Game 3 on Friday at a time to be determined.