Sunday, October 28, 2018
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES
Steve Pearce hit a tying homer in the eighth and a three-run double in the ninth, and the Boston Red Sox rallied from a four-run deficit in the seventh inning for a 9-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night and a 3-1 World Series lead.
The improbable surge all started with pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland’s three-run homer in the seventh, shortly after Yasiel Puig’s three-run homer in the sixth had put the Dodgers up 4-0.
Pinch-hitter Rafael Devers singled in Brock Holt with the tiebreaking run in the ninth, with also included Xander Bogaert’s RBI single.
Craig Kimbrel gave up Enrique Hernandez’s two-run homer in the bottom half before getting the final three outs.
Chris Sale starts for the Red Sox today against Clayton Kershaw, tying to close out Boston’s fourth title in 15 seasons.
Pearce launched a solo home run off closer Kenley Jansen with one out in the Red Sox eighth, making it 4-all.
The top of the Boston lineup had done nothing for two days until Pearce, batting third, homered over the wall in left-center field to compete a comeback from a 4-0 deficit.
Los Angeles threatened in the bottom half, but pinch-hitter Yasmani Grandal struck out against Joe Kelly with runners at the corners.
Pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland hit a long three-run homer off Ryan Madson, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to 4-3 in the seventh inning.
Given a four-run lead in the sixth on a run-scoring error and Puig’s three-run homer, Rich Hill walked Xander Bogaerts leading off the seventh and struck out Eduardo Nunez.
Scott Alexander relieved and walked Holt, and Madson relieved and retired pinch-hitter Jackie Bradley Jr. on a popup. Moreland crushed a changeup, driving it 437 feet deep into the right-field pavilion.
Hill allowed one run and one hit in 61/3 innings with seven strikeouts and three walks.