Dave Roberts Still Feels Love At Fenway
BOSTON — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts received a big cheer from the Boston fans when he was introduced before Game 1 of the World Series.
Roberts is still beloved in Boston for his brief tenure with the Red Sox. It was his stolen base in Game 4 of the 2004 AL playoffs that turned things around for the long-futile franchise. The Red Sox came back to tie it the ninth inning and rally from an 0-3 deficit in the series to beat the New York Yankees and then win their first World Series in 86 years.
But the love-fest didn't last long. Second baseman Brian Dozier was introduced next, and the cheers turned to boos.
Benintendi sets table: Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn't hesitate to use his lefties against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, and Andrew Benintendi delivered.
The left fielder had four hits in Game1of the Series on Tuesday night and scored three times in Boston's 8-4 victory.
“It's huge, especially against a guy like that and a team like that,” said Benintendi, who had one four-hit game in the regular season but had never topped two in a postseason game.
The Dodgers' entire lineup was righthanded against Boston lefty Chris Sale. But Cora let lefties Benintendi, Rafael Devers and Jackie Bradley Jr. face Kershaw.
Benintendi became the second lefthanded hitter to go 3-for-3 in a game against Kershaw.
Rainbows an omen? At 5:25 p.m. Tuesday, a trio of gorgeous rainbows showed up over Fenway Park ahead of Game1of the World Series. There were two beyond the Green Monster, and another brilliantb`ow far past the right-field stands.
A good omen for Boston? Well, there was a wonderful rainbow over Fenway in 2013 while the Red Sox worked out a day before the World Series. They went on to beat St. Louis in six games.
Sale struggles: Sale has been a Cy Young candidate most of the season. But his apparent autumn stagnation continued Tuesday in the Red Sox's biggest game of the season.
Sale lasted only four innings in Game1of the World Series against the Dodgers, allowing three runs, five hits and two walks. He struck out seven. In four games (three starts) this postseason, Sale has given up seven runs in 14 1⁄ innings. That 4.40 ERA
3 is 1.50 higher than his career regular season rate.
For the Red Sox, the ineffectiveness — and brevity — combine with diminished fastball velocity to create an unsettling set of circumstances for their left-handed ace. Sale, who spent a couple of days during the ALCS in the hospital with what the team called a stomach virus, averaged 93.4 mph on his four-seam fastball entering Tuesday, according to Brooks Baseball, and was in about that range against the Dodgers. That's significantly below his season average of 95.6 mph.
In September, as the Red Sox brought him along slowly with the playoffs in mind, he tossed 12 innings (four starts) and allowed five runs. His fastball velocity in his final outing of the regular season: 90.2 mph.
Is Sale hurt? He hasn't said so. Neither has the team. His deadpanned explanation for his recent hospital stint was an infection due to a belly-button ring.
Lefty relievers added: The Red Sox and Dodgers each added a fresh left-handed reliever to their World Series rosters.
Boston put Drew Pomeranz on its roster Tuesday in place of righthander Brandon Workman. Los Angeles swapped lefties, adding Scott Alexander and dropping Caleb Ferguson.
Knuckleballer Steven Wright failed to make Boston's roster after throwing a simulated game Sunday. Wright was removed from the Division Series roster following the opener against the Yankees, a day after reinjuring his left knee during a workout.
Pomeranz gives the Red Sox another matchup lefthander He made 11 starts, then was sent to the bullpen in August and had a 5.96 ERA in 15 relief appearances, striking out 22 and walking12 in 22 2⁄ innings while
3 allowing 27 hits.
Alexander made one appearance in the Division Series against Atlanta, throwing a 1-2-3 ninth inning in a Game 3 loss.
Includes a Newsday report.