Red Sox Take Game 2 With 4-2 Win Over Dodgers

BOSTON, Mass. – It appears David Price finally has the monkey off his back. The Red Sox star pitcher picked up his first postseason win as a starter Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers, as the Red Sox wrapped up Game 2 of the World Series with a 4-2 win.

It only took 10 years and 12 tries.

Price carved up the Dodgers lineup, allowing just three hits over six innings pitched, and striking out five batters. The train got rolling in his last start start in Game 5 of the ALCS. While not earning the win, the Red Sox won the first game Price started in the postseason.

Now, the Red Sox lead the Dodgers 2-0 and head to Los Angeles for games three and four.

The Red Sox broke it open in the fifth inning. Holding on to a 2-1 lead, Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu got outs against the first two batters Red Sox batters. Nine-hole hitter Christian Vasquez took a 1-2 cutter to right field to reach base bringing up the top of the Boston lineup.

Leadoff hitter Mookie Betts followed up with a single, and a walk from Andrew Benintendi loaded the bases. Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts went to the bullpen and reliever Ryan Madson walked the first batter he faced, Steve Pearce to bring in Vasquez tying the game at 2-2. Red Sox star designated hitter delivered a two-out single to right driving in two and giving the Red Sox a 4-2 lead.

With the help of the Red Sox bullpen, that lead would hold.

Starting fourth in the fourth inning, the Red Sox didn’t allow the Dodgers final 16 batters to reach base continuing strong postseason play from the Red Sox bullpen which struggled in the regular season resulting in several questions about who would make the postseason roster.

One of the key pieces of that bullpen is Nathan Eovaldi – normally a starter – made an appearance from the bullpen for the third straight game. Eovaldi entered the game in the eighth inning against the meat of the Los Angeles lineup – Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, and Joc Pederson. He went three-up three-down, including a strike out against Belling, improving his postseason ERA to 1.65 while allowing just 12 hits over 15.1 innings.

Acquired in a mid-season trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, Eovaldi provided much-needed stability to the Boston pitching rotation finishing 3-3 as a starter for the Red Sox. His best numbers came in September with a 1-0 record, a1.35 ERA, and 27 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched.

The Red Sox and Dodgers spend the next day traveling to Los Angeles for games three and four (and five if needed). The series will resume with Game 3 on Friday, with first pitch at 6:09 pm on FOX.