Nuñez’s HR helps Boston top L.A.
BOSTON — The Fenway Funhouse proved too tricky, too cold and just too much for the beach boys.
Andrew Benintendi, J.D. Martinez and the Red Sox came out swinging in the World Series opener, seizing every advantage in their quirky ballpark as Boston beat the Dodgers 8-4 on Tuesday night.
Benintendi had four hits, Martinez drove in two early runs and pinch-hitter Eduardo Nuñez golfed a three-run homer to seal it. The Red Sox got a solid effort from their bullpen after an expected duel between left-handers Chris Sale and Clayton Kershaw failed to develop.
From the get-go, Fenway Park caused all sorts of problems for the Dodgers.
Mookie Betts led off for the Red Sox with a pop-up that twisted first baseman David Freese as he tried to navigate the tight foul space near the stands and gauge the gusts. Lost, he overran the ball and it dropped behind him.
“You never really know,” Benintendi said. “The flag will be blowing one way, and the wind is actually blowing the other. You have to be on your toes pretty much.”
Given a second chance, Betts lined a single that set up a two-run first inning.
“It was important for us to score first and kind of put some pressure on them,” he said.
In the seventh, newly inserted left fielder Joc Pederson looked hesitant as he chased Benintendi’s soft fly, rushing toward the seats that jut out down the line. The ball ticked off his glove for a ground-rule double, and soon Nuñez connected to break open a 5-4 game.
“We didn’t play the defense that we typically do. I thought we left some outs out there,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “And it didn’t make Clayton’s job any easier.”
It was 53 degrees at first pitch and it dropped into the mid-40s by the end. That was the coldest game for Los Angeles this season and quite a contrast from last year’s World Series, when it was a record 103 degrees for the opener at Dodger Stadium.
“We won Game 1 last year and lost the Series, so maybe we’ll try it out this way. See if we can win one,” Kershaw said.
Game 2 is Wednesday night, when it’s supposed to be even colder. David Price, fresh from beating Houston in the ALCS clincher, starts against HyunJin Ryu.
Benintendi scored three times for Boston, trying for its fourth Series championship in 15 seasons.
Matt Kemp homered and Justin Turner had three hits for the Dodgers, aiming for their first Series crown since 1988. Machado drove in three runs, and his RBI grounder in the fifth inning made it 3-3.
Boston retook the lead in the bottom half when Xander Bogaerts hustled to beat out a potential inning-ending double-play ball — Dodgers reliever Ryan Madson seemed to celebrate a little too early.
Kershaw took the loss in his first appearance at Fenway, tagged for five runs on seven hits and three walks. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner fell to 9-9 in the postseason, his October results often falling short of his brilliant regular-season resume.
“All the way around, it wasn’t a good night,” Kershaw said.