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Red Sox Take 2-0 Lead in Series

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By Terry Lyons, Editor-in-Chief

BOSTON – Philadelphia 76ers legend Andrew Toney, the “Boston Strangler,” would be proud of this Boston Red Sox team and their fans. Julius “Dr. J” Erving would be proud of this Boston Red Sox team and their fans. The late Darryl Dawkins would love it even more.

The chants of “BEAT LA,” “BEAT LA” rained down from the deep centerfield bleachers at Fenway and bellowed throughout the tiny ballpark as the Boston fans would only pause their immediate disdain for the Dodgers to voice their opinions on the New York Yankees. In the top of the 9th inning as closer Craig Kimbrel took the mound, protecting a 4-2 Boston lead, the chants grew louder and louder and the memory of that May, 1982 day resonated in the minds of those of us who were at the old Boston Garden that NBA spring day, so long ago.

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Boston’s Craig Kimbrel in Game 2

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Toney put up 34 that day and Dr. J scored 29 in a 120-106 beatdown of the Celtics and the most loyal of Boston fans showed their preference to root for the 76ers and against the Lakers who were waiting to play in the 1982 NBA Finals. The “chant” was born in the NBA but it continued tonight at Fenway where the Red Sox took a 2-0 series lead against the LA Dodgers.

With Los Angeles leading 2-1 going into the bottom of the 5th inning, Boston took control of the series by scoring three runs in a two-out rally started by a Christian Vazquez base hit, fueled by a pair of walks (one by Hyun-Jin Ryu, tonight’s LA starter and one by righty Ryan Madson), and then a clutch J.D. Martinez single to right field, knocking in two (Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi) to spot the Sox the 4-2 lead.

Boston managed eight hits on the night with Betts recording a 3-for-4  ballgame while scoring the game-deciding run.

Boston’s pitching staff, anchored by starter David Price (6.0 innings, three hits, two runs, five strike-outs), held the Dodgers to only three hits on the night. Price’s relief was impeccable, as Joe Kelly (1.0 inning, two strike-outs), Nathan Eovaldi (1.0 inning, one strike-out) and Kimbrel’s perfect 9th inning closed the deal for the Red Sox who now fly west to face the Dodgers in the middle three games of the 2018 World Series at Dodgers Stadium. The Dodgers will need to win two-of-three in order to send the series back to Fenway for possible Game 6-7, scheduled for October 30-31st.

As Sox manager Alex Cora noted tonight in the postgame, “At least we know if things don’t go well for us in LA, we’re coming back. So that’s good.”

LA manager Dave Roberts was determined to make that happen as he met with the media following tonight’s game.

“This is two games,” said Roberts, “and obviously it’s magnified. It’s the World Series,  but it’s still two separate baseball games.

“We’re going to shuffle it up for Game 3,” added Roberts, “bit it’s not necessarily because of performance. These are the guys who got us here and we’re going to ride them out,” he said responding to questions about juggling his line-up which has been stymied by Boston’s two ace left-handed pitchers in Price and Game 1 starter Chris Sale.

Cora was particularly vocal about Price who he called, “one of the best pitchers in the big leagues.”

“He beat the Astros in Houston. He beat the Dodgers here in Fenway Park,” said Cora of Price’s last two outings, finally breaking a streak of losses or no-decisions in his postseason appearances. “The guy works,” Cora said. “He cares about his teammates.

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David Price

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“One thing is for sure,” he added, “I trust the guy. We trust him and we love him. He was amazing tonight. He was into it, too. I don’t think he liked the fact that I took him out in the 6th, I’ll tell you that.”

Cora’s decision again proved accurate. After pressing the right buttons on offensive match-ups and the Game 1 Eduardo Nunez game-winning homer pinch hit substitution, the magic Cora worked tonight was calling for the right relievers in the right order to hold Los Angeles scoreless over the final five innings of the game to protect the victory for Price, his first in the World Series and second of the 2018 postseason.

Is it what Price signed up for when he signed his lucrative $217 million contract back in 2015?

“Yeah, I mean, 108 wins in the regular season,” said Price, “beating the Yankees in the ALDS and beating the reigning champs in the ALCS and being up 2-0, this is part of the reason I came here, absolutely.”

 

Alex Cora: Boston’s Manager, Interior Decorator & Winner

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By Terry Lyons, Editor-in-Chief

BOSTON – Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora has a knack. He has a knack for decorating, a knack for hanging pictures commemorating 115 game-winners in his Fenway Park office, even though he claims he doesn’t pick-out each specific photo after a victory. Aside from his obvious interior decorating skills, Cora has a knack for knowing his business inside-out and backwards, and most importantly, the first-year Red Sox manager has knack for knowing his players well and for pressing their buttons at the right time, time after time.

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Eduardo Nunez of Boston

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Prior to the game, Cora pushed a button or two with Eduardo Nunez, who was on the bench in favor of a hot-hitting youngster in Rafael Devers. In the situation, all Cora could do was to keep Nunez’ mind into the game.

“He was prepared,” said Cora.  “He wasn’t upset, actually, that he wasn’t playing. I told him, ‘Be ready, man. You might have a big at-bat tonight and do your thing.’ And he did.”

Yes, tonight, Cora called Nunez‘ number as a pinch hitter in the 7th inning of a 5-3 World Series Game 1, and Nunez delivered on the manager’s hunch and clocked an 83 mph Alex Wood pitch into the Green Monster seats at Fenway Park, some 373-feet away from home plate. The three-run homer came with Andrew Benintendi and J.D. Martinez on board, Martinez the beneficiary of an intentional walk, and it sealed an 8-4 Boston victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

What did Nunez think of his manager’s role in this big, Game 1 victory?

“Yeah,” said Nunez, “I think he make great moves. He watches a lot of video. He’s very smart. I think that he’s the reason we’re here. Because every move we make, it’s for a reason, and it’s good reason happen every time he make a move.”

The winner of Game 1 of the World Series wins the series 62% of the time. But those odds must be underlined with the fact the winners of G-1 have been crowned World Series champions in 12 of the last 15, 15 of the last 17, and 17 of the past 21 World Series.

The top of the Red Sox line-up again proved productive as right-fielder and lead-off hitter Mookie Betts and Benintendi, the No. 2 man, scored a combined five runs between them. Benintendi went 4-for-4 on the night, with three singles and a double to produce his three runs scored and in doing so became only the third player in franchise history to crack four hits in a World Series game.

Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers hit an RBI single in the 5th inning and is the first player in MLB history to record at least one RBI in his first eight career postseason games.

Boston starter Chris Sale three four innings and allowed three runs on five hits. He struck out seven and walked two as he threw 91 pitches on a chilly 53-degree New England night. Sale did not factor in the win.

In the 2nd inning, Sale surrendered a solo home run to LA’s DH Matt Kemp who became the 36th player in MLB history to homer in his first World Series at-bat.

Boston’s Matt Barnes was credited with the victory and reliever Craig Kimbrel retired the last three Dodgers batters in a non-save situation. LA’s Clayton Kershaw took the loss after going 4.0 innings and allowing five runs on seven hits with three walks and five strike-outs.

Wall of Victories in Fenway Park

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When the 2018 MLB Postseason began, the Red Sox took duplicates of each of the 108 pictures tacked-up on Cora’s office wall and replicated his mural on the first-base concourse of Fenway. They recognized the fact the club would need 11 more victories to accomplish their season-long goal, a goal Cora targeted in Spring Training.

Now, Cora and the Red Sox need three more victories and they have room for three more photos on their mural.

Those pictures will surely be the hardest to frame.

GAME NOTES: In Game 2 0f the World Series, Boston will throw another lefty starter in David Price (16-7, 3.58 ERA, 1-1, 5.11 ERA in postseason) while Los Angeles is scheduled to start lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu (7-3, 1.97 ERA, 1-1, 4.40 ERA in postseason). … Hyun-Jin Ryu’s record came over 15 starts in the regular season. He returned from the DL (left groin strain) on August 15th and went 4-3 with a 1.88 ERA, striking out 53 batters against only five base-on-balls. … He is particularly effective against right-handed batters, holding righty opponents to a .237 batting average. … He went 3-2 in his five September starts but posted a 1.50 ERA and struck out 30 with a 1.10 WHIP in that span. … The Red Sox activated LHP Drew Pomeranz prior to tonight’s game. While Pomeranz wasn’t on the active roster for the ALDS vs. the New York Yankees or the ALCS vs. the Houston Astros, he went 2-6 in the regular season with a 6.08 ERA. Pomeranz and fellow-lefty Eduardo Rodriguez join Price as the only three southpaws on the Red Sox roster, thus the activation of Pomeranz over righty Heath Hembree or knuckleballer Steven Wright.

2018 World Series Scout:

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LA Dodgers at Boston Red Sox

When: 8:09 PM ET, Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Where: Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote
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Clayton Kershaw

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BOSTON – The Los Angeles Dodgers are back in the World Series for the second straight season and the Boston Red Sox won a franchise-record 108 games this year. The two powerful teams begin pursuit of a Major League Baseball Championship when the Red Sox host the Dodgers on tonight in Game 1 of the annual Fall Classic at Fenway Park.

Boston is searching for its fourth World Series crown in 15 years while the Dodgers are attempting to end a title drought that dates to 1988. Left-handers Chris Sale (Red Sox) and Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles) square off in the opener of the best-of-7 series in which Boston is viewed as favorites. “I like the underdog role,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said at Monday’s press conference. “I do know that everyone in our clubhouse doesn’t see it as icing on the cake. It’s been our goal since last year to win a World Series. So it’s a good club over there but we still like our guys, and it’s going to be a good one.” The Red Sox rolled through the defending World Series champion Houston Astros in five games in the American League Championship Series while Los Angeles prevailed in seven games over the Milwaukee Brewers on the National League side.

TV: 8:09 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (2-1, 2.37 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Chris Sale (1-0, 3.48)

Kershaw will be pitching at Fenway Park for the first time during a stellar career that includes three NL Cy Young Awards. “I don’t really think about that stuff,” Kershaw said during a press conference. “I appreciate the history and everything that goes along with Fenway Park. … Check this one off as far as pitching (Tuesday), but I don’t really think about the history part of it too much, honestly.” The 30-year-old Kershaw has experienced mixed results in the postseason and stands 9-8 with a 4.09 ERA in 28 career appearances (22 starts).

Sale will be pitching for the first time in 10 days and said he is fully healthy now after his mysterious stomach ailment that led to him being hospitalized and missing a start in the ALCS. “There’s no holding back now, I think,” Sale said during a press conference while sidestepping questions about the stomach. “My job’s been the same since the first day I got here. You hand me the ball when you want me to throw it, and take it out of my hand when you want me to stop.” The 29-year-old Sale is 1-2 with a 5.85 ERA in five career postseason appearances (three starts).

WALK-OFFS

1. Two left-handers will again match up in Wednesday’s Game 2 as Roberts tabbed Hyun-Jin Ryu to start and Red Sox manager Alex Cora chose David Price.

2. RF Mookie Betts continues to work out at second base as Boston looks to get DH J.D. Martinez into the lineup in an outfield spot when the series moves to Dodger Stadium for Games 3-5.

3. Matt Kemp will serve as Los Angeles DH with the opener being in an AL ballpark.

IT’s L.A.

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LA Dodgers 5, Milwaukee 1

When: 8:09 PM ET, Saturday, October 20, 2018
Where: Miller Park, Milwaukee
Attendance: 44,097
Recap for Digital Sports Desk by Field Level Media
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MILWAUKEE — The Los Angeles Dodgers booked a return trip to the World Series behind steady power and sturdy pitching on Saturday, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series.

Cody Bellinger and Yasiel Puig hit home runs to back a strong effort from rookie right-hander Walker Buehler and four relievers, sending the Dodgers to the Fall Classic in consecutive years for the first time since 1977-78. Game 1 of the World Series against the Red Sox is set for Tuesday night at Fenway Park in Boston.

Bellinger was recognized as NLCS MVP. Though he hit .200 in the series, his home run on Saturday accounted for the go-ahead run, and he had the game-winning hit in the 13th inning of Game 4.

Puig had three of the Dodgers’ 10 hits, none bigger than a three-run home run in the sixth inning that gave Los Angeles a 5-1 lead. Buehler helped set the tone for the pitching staff with a strong start, limiting the Brewers to one run and six hits in 4 2/3 innings while striking out seven.

Brewers right fielder Christian Yelich opened the scoring with one out in the first inning, delighting the sellout crowd of 44,097 by smacking a solo home run to right field. The ball narrowly escaped Puig’s leaping attempt at the wall.

The Dodgers responded in the top of the second, however, as Bellinger hit a two-run homer into the second deck in right to give Los Angeles a 2-1 lead. Shortstop Manny Machado started the rally by bunting down the third base line on a 3-2 count to beat a defensive shift.

Brewers right-hander Jhoulys Chacin worked out of further trouble to end the inning, which proved to be his final action of the game. Manager Craig Counsell pinch-hit for Chacin with two on and two out in the bottom of the second, but Jonathan Schoop grounded out to end the threat.

Chacin (1-1) allowed two runs on three hits in two innings, walking one. A fully rested Josh Hader followed and kept the Brewers afloat by continuing a dominant postseason.

Pitching for the first time since Game 4, Hader struck out four, walked one and allowed one hit in three innings of scoreless relief. The All-Star left-hander fanned 16 of the 35 batters he faced in 10 shutout innings over seven playoff appearances. He allowed five hits and walked one.

Hader entered the on-deck circle to potentially hit in the bottom of the fifth, but was removed for a pinch hitter after Orlando Arcia grounded out to start the inning.

Largely reliable throughout the regular season stretch run and into October, the Brewers’ bullpen stumbled one inning later as Puig lined a three-run home run to left field against Jeremy Jeffress with two outs. Puig pumped his arms exuberantly as he rounded the bases.

Los Angeles’ rally came on the heels of Dodgers left fielder Chris Taylor’s dazzling defensive play to end a prime Milwaukee scoring chance in the fifth. With two out and the potential tying run on second base, Yelich drilled an opposite-field line drive to the left field gap against Julio Urias.

Taylor ranged toward the ball to make a sliding, over-the-shoulder catch on the warning track.

Urias, Ryan Madson, Kenley Jansen and Clayton Kershaw combined for 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Madson (1-0) earned the victory, scattering one hit and two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.

The Dodgers stood at 16-26 on May 16 and did not climb over .500 until June 10. They took sole possession of the National League West lead for the first time on July 13 but battled with the Colorado Rockies for the division crown through the end of the regular season.

Los Angeles clinched its sixth successive division title with a home victory against the Rockies in the NL West tiebreaker game.

The Brewers also needed a 163rd regular-season game to outlast the Chicago Cubs for the NL Central title, earning the club’s third postseason berth since moving to the National League in 1998. The Brewers were seeking their first World Series berth since 1982.

–Kevin Druley, Field Level Media

DIGITAL SPORTS DESK The LEDE: Just Waiting on a Friend

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By Terry Lyons, Editor-in-Chief

BOSTON – In an era when full disclosure is constantly touted as the right thing to do but full scale lying is the modus operandi, I will admit, I thought the Houston Astros would be awaiting the results of the National League Championship Series. I thought the Boston Red Sox were extremely fortunate to advance past the New York Yankees and I thought the ‘Stros would discard of the Sox in five games., especially after the 7-2 beatdown in Game 1 of the ALCS.

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Will the Red Sox win in 2018?

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I am a man of truth, justice and full disclosure.

Now, after truthfully stating my transgressions, it makes all the sense in the world for me to take a tip from the daily operation of the Oval and gaslight you all by stating the exact opposite of my prior prediction. I think the Red Sox will be World Series champions and they will do it in six games over either the Milwaukee Brewers (my choice) or the Los Angeles Dodgers. Yes, as we await Tuesday night, which seems, oh, so far away, I’m reversing the engines and picking the Sox. Yes, that might be worse than the Curse of the Bambino, but I’m now convinced this team can win. So, go out to your bookies and bet the ranch on the NL pennant winner, right?

Wrong.

As the MLB Postseason began, I thought the only advantage the Red Sox had over Houston was the fact they played the Baltimore Orioles so often. I thought the Astros had all the ingredients to repeat. I was in awe of the Sox offense but pessimistic on everything else, namely the starting pitching (ailing Chris Sale, unproven in postseason David Price, trending in the wrong direction Rick Porcello and un-tested in the playoffs Nathan Eovaldi).

I was even more suspect of the middle relievers and the closer, Craig Kimbrel.

As the postseason began, I thought the announcement of knuckleballer-turned-reliever Steven Wright being IR’d being played to all that would listen as a full-scaled  ‘setback’ to the club’s future was an indication that all was not well past the Nikon sign. A day after Sox manager Alex Cora stated they chose to boot Heath Hembree off the roster (a ‘la keeping the ball in the park), they re-activated Hembree with a dispensation from the Pope, saying all was wrong with Wright and all was right with Hembree.

The thought the smokescreen emanating from the Sox that the Hembree for Wright switcheroo actually mattered was what pointed me towards an outright and decisive pick of the guys from Johnson Space Center. Days later, I realized Mission Control in Houston had their own concerns for every hurler south of Justin Verlander and what Alex Bregman, George Springer, Carlos Correa and a hammy-laden Jose Altuve couldn’t do was fix-up a bullpen of Josh James, Roberto Osuna and the man of 27.00 ERA Joe Smith.

Now, we find ourselves waiting around.

Cora will use the down-time to rest his ailing, stomach-bug infested ace, in Sale. He’ll also use the luxury of time to tune-up Price for a Game 2 start at Fenway where Sox Nation can finally pay homage to the player they’ve loved to hate. All the while, the video tape machines will be humming to see if they can zoom-in on the exact twitch in Kimbrel’s delivery to be sure he is ready to face the bats of the National Leaguers.

As Sox Nation waits, we too wait and pass the time.

How so?

Late night will allow time to see what the Boston Bruins are up to as they forge through the great Canadian west, having incurred losses at Calgary and Edmonton but facing-off against the Canucks of Vancouver tonight. That 21-year old Connor McDavid is really something, isn’t he? While we weren’t paying attention, the Bs put together a nice four-game winning streak before embarking on their trip westward.

Sadly, with all the attention merited by the Sox, the New England Patriots and the expectations for the Boston Celtics in the NBA marathon that ends when it’s 90-degrees again, not much has been said about the big, bad Bruins. They, too, have high hopes.

Today, with the temperature rising from 30-degrees to 60, we were ready to head out to Alumni Stadium to watch the Eagles of Boston College but they have a bye week in a short NCAA Football season. Maybe next time, BC.

Apparently, there’s a Boxing Match at TD Garden this evening. Nothing says boxing in Boston like scheduling a card that could’ve and, very much should’ve, gone up against Game 6 of the ALCS. A little luck of the Irish (see Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys as promotor and Danny O’Connor, a wonderful, local fighter unfortunately sidelined tonight because of injury) might allow a nice walk-up at the Garden.

Instead, dear Dropkicks, we’ll be watching the LA Dodgers at Milwaukee in Game 7, for the right to lose to the Boston Red Sox (in six) at Fenway Park.

 

 

 

 

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