McAdam: Has the stage been set for David Price's October surprise?

HOUSTON -- And so, here we are.

The Red Sox are a win away from advancing to the 2018 World Series. All that's standing between them and their chance at a fourth title in the last 15 seasons is a starting pitcher who's never won a postseason game in his lifetime.

Which, when you think about it, is somehow fitting.

Nothing has been predictable about any of this, from the beginning.  Not the rookie manager, who had never before managed a game in organized baseball, leading his team to 108 regular season wins and not once appearing to be in over his head. Not the team's inability to go with a set starter at fully three-quarters of its infield for much of the season. Not the reliever who begged for a tryout in February, languished in the minors for the first half of the season and emerged as the most dependable bullpen arm in October.

Like all successful teams, the Red Sox have had their share of pleasant surprises while keeping the disappointments to a minimum.

So maybe the storyline of David Price, pitching on short rest and finally overcoming his postseason foibles is the perfect way for this ALCS to end.

For batter after batter in the final two innings of the Red Sox' epic 8-6 win in Game 4 of the ALCS Wednesday night/Thursday morning, it appeared as though Price would be utilized in relief, especially as closer Craig Kimbrel walked a perilous tightrope over the final six outs.

The bullpen was a lonely place in the late innings, made worse by the Batcave-like setting in Minute Maid Park. Every so often, Price was shown pacing, having done more than his share of warming up, awaiting word to determine if he would be the sixth Red Sox pitcher summoned following starter Rick Porcello.

Unlike the night before, there would no landscaping to work off whatever nervous energy had set in. There was only waiting.

If body language counts for anything in these matters, Price seemed eager for the call to come. Maybe Sunday's start -- an out shy of even qualifying for a victory, with four runs allowed in 4.2 innings -- has seemed to imbue him with a degree of confidence he had previously lacked.

It was there in his body language early Thursday morning, as he stood in front of his locker, holding his son, Xavier while taking questions from reporters. Price wore a smile, acted a bit playfully and generally appeared to be without a care.

Does that mean much? Does it translate to the mound Thursday night?

We'll see.

As happened Sunday in Game 2 at Fenway, Thursday night's start finds Price at an inherently contradictory spot: when a pitcher has a poor track record in the postseason, but is facing a team against which he's had great success, which trend wins out?

Price's October failings could not have been highlighted: he's winless in 11 starts with a postseason career ERA of 6.03 as a starter. Conversely, the Astros have been a team against whom Price has been mostly effective. In the last two seasons, Price, in eight appearances (both regular season and postseason) has an 3.45 ERA against them.

Despite the stakes, there's some wiggle room for Price here. This is a not an elimination game for the Red  Sox. If he falters, the Red Sox can go back to Fenway and have two more chances to dethrone the defending champion Astros, including Saturday with Chris Sale pitching with the (needed) benefit of six days' rest for Game 6.

On the other hand, Price won't be working with a lot of backup in Game 5. Ryan Brasier, who has been the most reliable reliever in the Red Sox bullpen, almost certainly will be unavailable, having pitched in all four games in the series to date, including 1.2 scoreless but harrowing innings in Game 4. Matt Barnes, too, has been similarly exhausted by his workload.

There are some fresh arms. Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman haven't pitched since the weekend, but then, there's a reason for that, as they're not among the most dependable options for Cora. Eduardo Rodriguez can be called upon, too, but Wednesday was a reminder of just how inconsistent he can be.

Few of these games have been determined early. In each of the five games to date, the winning team has scored at least seven runs and in every one, the game has been at least somewhat in doubt in the final inning. That's a reminder

When he signed with the Red Sox in December of 2015, Price faced questions about his less-than-glorious playoff track record. He flashed a disarming smile and joked that he had been saving up all his October wins for Boston.

Thursday night would be the perfect time, at the perfect spot, to finally make good on that vow.