Dave Roberts explained what he felt was ‘the difference in the game right there’
"In that spot he's done it time and time again for us, but the last couple of nights it hasn't worked out."
For the second time in as many World Series games, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts watched as one of his bullpen moves backfired. It ended up being one of the factors that led to a 4-2 Red Sox win in Game 2.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 5th, Roberts pulled starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu. He brought in righthander Ryan Madson, with the hopes of preserving a 2-1 lead. In Roberts’s view, Madson facing Red Sox first baseman Steve Pearce was the right matchup.
“Madson has been our guy for quite some time, and he’s pitched out of big spots there,” said Roberts. “The usage right there, I’m not worried about that. He’s fresh. He pitched yesterday, didn’t throw too many pitches. Had a couple of days off coming into the series, has an off day tomorrow. So that part of it was pretty easy. And I just felt I really liked him against Pearce.”
Madson, who picked up the win in Game 7 of the NLCS after throwing 1.2 scoreless innings, walked in the tying run on Wednesday night before allowing a two-RBI single to J.D. Martinez.
.@JDMartinez14 is a hitting MACHINE. #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/nDc3GxKnkV
— MLB (@MLB) October 25, 2018
“In that spot he’s done it time and time again for us, but the last couple of nights it hasn’t worked out,” said Roberts. “The walk, very uncharacteristic, and he gave a flare single to Martinez.”
Asked if he considered pulling Ryu earlier, given Boston’s propensity for two-out hitting, Roberts responded:
No, no, I didn’t. He had Vazquez 1-2, gives up a base hit on a backdoor cutter, I think. And with Mookie right there, gives up a ground-ball base hit. And I thought he was in control the entire night. I thought he was executing. Benintendi put a good at-bat on him and earned a walk. But for me right there, I have a decision to make to give Ryu a chance to get out of that spot and face Pearce or go with a guy that I know matches up really well, hasn’t seen much of him, saw him the night prior.
But I just felt again Madson was the right guy to get us out of that. And that was the difference in the game right there. And you talk about things before the game happens and I just felt again Madson was the right guy in that spot.
Trailing 2-0 in the series, the Dodgers now return to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Friday night.
