Revisiting the key plays in the Red Sox’ Game 1 win
Incase you missed any of it.
Couldn’t go the distance on Game 1 of the World Series last night? The game, an 8-4 Red Sox victory over the Dodgers, started at 8:09 p.m. and lasted 3 hours and 52 minutes.
Here are the finer points from a game filled with big plays.
■ Pitchers’ duel doesn’t materialize
It was billed as a matchup of ace pitchers, but Boston’s Chris Sale and Los Angeles’s Clayton Kershaw both only pitched into the fifth inning, with neither lefty able to record an out in their final frame.
It took Sale 91 pitches to get through four innings. His night was over after he walked Brian Dozier to open the fifth.
The Red Sox got to Kershaw early in the bottom of the first. Los Angeles first baseman David Freese’s inability to field a foul pop-up allowed leadoff hitter Mookie Betts to stay alive, setting up a two-run first inning.
Kershaw would depart in the bottom of the fifth inning after allowing the first two batters to get on base and throwing 79 pitches. The game was tied, 3-3, at the time.
■ Devers drives in game-winning run
Some were surprised to see Rafael Devers in the lineup with Kershaw on the mound, yet the move paid off. Ryan Madson came on in relief in the fifth and walked Steve Pearce to load the bases. There were two outs after J.D. Martinez struck out and Xander Bogaerts grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Betts and give the Red Sox a 4-3 lead. Devers delivered a two-out single to score Andrew Benintendi for what would prove to be the game-winning run and a 5-3 lead.
■ Eduardo Nunez homers off the bench
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When Dodgers manager Dave Roberts brought in lefty reliever Alex Wood to face Devers in the seventh inning with two on and two out, Red Sox manager Alex Cora responded by having Eduardo Nunez pinch hit for Devers. The move paid off, with Nunez delivering a three-run homer into the Monster seats for an 8-4 lead.
■ Dodgers limited to four 1-run innings
The Dodgers threatened a few times, but could never generate enough offense for a rally. After tying the game in the third inning, they had two runners on and just one out, but Sale settled down and struck out Chris Taylor and got Matt Kemp to hit a dribbler back to the mound.
The Dodgers tied the score again in the fifth and had a runner on third with two out, but Cody Bellinger flied out to right to end the inning.
■ Andrew Benintendi went 4-for-5
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The Red Sox left fielder had four hits and scored three runs on the night. He drove in Betts for the Red Sox’ first run in the first inning, and scored on Martinez’s single.
■ The Red Sox use six relievers after Sale departed
After Barnes allowed an inherited runner to score in the fifth, Joe Kelly retired the side in order in the sixth. Ryan Brasier struggled in the seventh, departing with the bases loaded with two out and allowing a run. Eduardo Rodriguez got Bellinger to fly out to center to avoid further damage and preserve a 5-4 lead.
■ Craig Kimbrel closes it out
After Nathan Eovaldi set the Dodgers down in order in the eighth inning, Craig Kimbrel closed it out in the ninth, striking out the last two batters he faced and looking nothing like the reliever who struggled in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
