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There may be 27 outs in a game, but the Red Sox’ postseason offense only needs nine of them — if that.
The Red Sox scored all four of their runs with two outs to back a strong six-inning start from David Price to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series with a 4-2 victory on Wednesday night.
Boston has scored nine of their 12 runs in this series with two outs.
The big hit was J.D. Martinez’s two-run single with the game tied 2-2 off Ryan Madson, who walked in Steve Pearce the tying run.
The Red Sox started the fifth with two quick outs. Christian Vazquez and Mookie Betts had back-to-back singles and Andrew Benintendi walked to bounce starter Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Price had one poor inning a two-run fourth when he allowed three hits, but outside of that, he was outstanding. Those were the only hits Price allowed in his six innings of work.
The Red Sox’ pitchers — Joe Kelly, Nathan Eovaldi and Craig Kimbrel after Price — finished the game by retiring the final 16 Dodgers hits.
LIVE COVERAGE FROM BEDARD; MCADAM IN THE COMMENTS
Top of the 9th
Craig Kimbrel in.
- Machado flies out to center.
- Taylor grounds out to second.
- Kemp grounds out to short to end it.
Boston finishes by retiring the final 16 Dodgers.
Bottom of the 8th
- Martinez smokes one to left center but Bellinger makes a sliding catch.
- Bogaerts flies out to center.
- Devers grounds out to second.
Top of the 8th
Eovaldi entering the game.
- Bellinger strikes out.
- Turner grounds out to short.
- Pinch-hitter Pederson flies out to left.
13-straight retired by the Sox. Outstanding.
Bottom of the 7th
Maeda in to pitch.
- Vazquez grounds out to second.
- One-out double off the wall for Betts.
- Benintendi strikes out.
Moreland to pinch-hit for Pearce. Alexander in for LA.
- Betts goes to third on wild pitch. Moreland strikes out.
Top of the 7th
Kelly in.
- Munchy hits for Hernandez. ... And whiffs to the suddenly phenomenal Kelly.
- Puig grounds out to third.
- Grandal for Barnes. ... strikes out. That's 10-straight Dodgers retired.
Bottom of the 6th
- Devers lines out to center.
- Kinsler has an adventurous fly out to center.
- Bradly pops out.
Joe Kelly in.
Top of 6th
- Machado flies out to left.
- Taylor can't bunt his way on.
- Kemp grounds out to third.
Price with an eight-pitch inning to get through 6.
Urias in to pitch.
Bottom of the fifth
- Kinsler bounces out to first.
- Bradley pops out to short. Seven-straight retired.
- Two-out single to a very shaky Puig in right. Him in that much space ... going to be an issue.
- Another two-out single, this one by Betts to center.
Ryan Madson warming.
- Benintendi had a great at-bat, fouling off two full-count curveballs before drawing a walk that bounces Ryu from the game. Madson in.
- Madson throws two balls to start again, just like last night. Goes to 3-1 ... Madson walks in a run. RUN: Dodgers 2, Red Sox 2.
- Martinez bloops a two-run single to right in front of Puig, who was playing very deep. RUNS: Red Sox 4, Dodgers 2.
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1055282123018563584
Top of the fifth
- Benintendi saves extra bases with a leaping grab down the line to rob Dozier.
https://twitter.com/CaseyBake16/status/1055275186352803840
- Price doesn't get an inside strike again ... but Devers throws out Turner.
- Freese flies out to center. 1-2-3.
Bottom of the 4th
- Martinez grounds out to short.
- Bogaerts strikes out looking on a 3-2 pitch. He didn't like the call. Neither did Fenway.
- Devers strikes out on a 58-footer.
Top of the 4th
- Freese singles to right.
- Machado singles to center.
- Taylor walks to load the bases.
- Kemp sac fly to center, scoring Freese. RUN: Red Sox 1, Dodgers 1.
- Huge nine-pitch battle with Hernandez that ends with a foul tip in the mitt.
- Puig is jammed but muscles it into center. RUN: Dodgers 2, Red Sox 1.
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1055270791640567808
- Price strikes out Barnes to end the inning.
67 pitches, 43 strikes for Price.
Bottom of the 3rd
- Vazquez strikes out.
- Betts singles to center on a 1-2 pitch.
- Benintendi lines to center.
- Pearce pops out to short.
Top of the 3rd
- Puig lines out to second.
- Barnes flies out to center.
- Full-count walk to Dozier. Price wanted that one. Looked like a good pitch.
- Turner grounds into a fielder's choice.
Three innings, 11 batters faced. 43 pitches, 27 strikes for Price.
Bottom of the 2nd
- Martinez lines out to center.
- Bogaerts doubles high off the wall.
- Devers strikes out.
- Kinsler comes through with another Red Sox two-out RBI hit to left to score Bogaerts. RUN: Red Sox 1, Dodgers 0.
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1055259864178483200
- Bradley singles to left but Kinsler is thrown out by a mile at third
https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1055260466354798593
Top of the 2nd
- Back-to-back strikeouts on seven combined pitches against Taylor and Kemp. Strong start by Price.
- Pop out to center for Hernandez.
26 pitches, 18 strikes for Price. No issues with the chilly weather.
Bottom of the first
- Betts grounds out to first on a very careless throw by Machado.
- Benintendi strikes out.
- Pearce pops out to first.
Top of the 1st
- Dozier grounds out to third on the first pitch.
- Turner struck out looking.
- Full-count walk for Freese to bring up Machado.
- Machado pops out to first.
13 pitches, 8 strikes for Price.
__________________
- Alex Cora decided to stay with the exact same lineup that he utilized in Game 1. Cora again cited the reverse splits of the Dodgers lefty starter as a factor, while saying he was happy to hold out a couple of righthanded bats to be used as pinch-hitters later in the game.
- Cora is undecided about his starters for Games 3 and 4 in L.A., though it's clear that Rick Porcello and Nathan Eovaldi will be the pitchers. All that's left to be determined is who gets which one. That will depend on bullpen usage tonight; Eovaldi pitched an inning of relief in Game 1.