Red Sox can taste title
Pearce’s solo HR, 3-run double key rally from 4-0 hole
LOS ANGELES — Steve Pearce hit a tying home run in the eighth and a three-run double in the ninth, and the Red Sox rallied from a four-run deficit for a 9-6 victory over the Dodgers on Saturday night for a 3-1 World Series lead.
The improbable surge started with pinch hitter Mitch Moreland’s threerun homer in the seventh, shortly after Yasiel Puig’s three-run homer in had put the Dodgers up 4-0.
Rafael Devers’ pinch single drove 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 on Sunday, trying to close out the Red Sox’s fourth title in 15 seasons. He faces Clayton Kershaw.
Pearce launched his home run off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen with one out in the eighth, making it 4-4.
The Dodgers threatened in the bottom half, but pinch hitter Yasmani Grandal struck out against Joe Kelly with runners at the corners.
Moreland’s long threerun homer came off Ryan Madson, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to 4-3 in the seventh.
Given a four-run lead in the sixth on a run-scoring error and Puig’s homer, Dodgers starter Rich Hill walked Bogaerts leading off the seventh and struck out Eduardo Nunez. Scott RESULTS/SCHEDULE Game 1: Red Sox 8-4 Game 2: Red Sox 4-2 Game 3: Dodgers 3-2 (18) Game 4: Red Sox 9-6 Game 5: Red Sox (Sale) at Dodgers (Kershaw), Sunday Game 6: Dodgers at Red Sox, Tuesday Game 7: Dodgers at Red Sox, Wednesday Alexander relieved walked Holt.
Madson then came in and retired pinch hitter Jackie Bradley Jr. on a popup before Moreland crushed a changeup, driving it 437 feet deep into the right-field pavilion.
Hill allowed one run on one hit in 61⁄3 innings with seven strikeouts and three walks.
Jansen gave up Pearce’s shot one night after allowing Bradley’s tying home run in the eighth inning of a game the Dodgers won 3-2 in a Series-record 18 innings.
Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez threw five strong innings before losing control. He gave up four runs on four hits in 52⁄3 innings, striking out six. and