Price pitches Boston to World Series
HOUSTON» David Price put his postseason woes behind him, pitching the Boston Red Sox back into another World Series with a 41 victory over the defending champion Houston Astros on Thursday night.
Rafael Devers hit a threerun homer as the Red Sox stunned Justin Verlander and the Astros in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series to win the bestofseven set 41.
It was a perfect 43rd birthday present for rookie manager Alex Cora, who became the first skipper from Puerto Rico to take a team to the World Series.
ALCS MVP Jackie Bradley Jr., outfielder Mookie Betts and the 108win Red Sox will try to bring Boston its fourth crown in 15 years when they open the World Series on Tuesday night at Fenway Park against the Los Angeles Dodgers or Milwaukee Brewers. The Red Sox were last in the World Series when they won it all in 2013.
“We got four more wins. That was very, very special, absolutely. But we want more,” Price said.
After dropping the opener at home, Boston took four straight — including three in a row at Minute Maid Park to improve to 50 on the road in these playoffs.
Left fielder Andrew Benintendi caught a long fly for the last out — not nearly as dramatic as his gamesaving diving grab the previous night.
There was a smattering of boos from the home crowd as the Red Sox charged onto the field, embracing as they jumped around near the middle of the diamond. They posed for a team picture on the mound a couple of minutes later as members of Houston’s pitching staff slowly walked by, glancing at the revelry on their way back from the bullpen.
“They beat us. We ran out of wins,” Astros manager AJ Hinch said.
Despite leading the majors in wins during the regular season, the Red Sox were underdogs against a Houston team that defeated the Dodgers in last year’s World Series and romped past Cleveland in the Division Series this month.
But stars Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and the Astros hobbled to the finish in a humbling defeat. Still, no team has repeated as World Series champs since the New York Yankees won three straight from 19982000.
Pitching on only three days’ rest after Boston ace Chris Sale was ruled out while recovering from a stomach illness, Price struck out nine in six shutout innings of threehit ball. The lefthander, who has had a rough time in Boston since signing a $217 million contract before the 2016 season, entered 09 with a 6.16 ERA in 11 career postseason starts.
“It felt good. Honestly, it really Saturday: Astros 7, Red Sox 2 Sunday: Red Sox 7, Astros 5 Tuesday: Red Sox 8, Astros 2 Wed.: Red Sox 8, Astros 6 Thursday: Red Sox 4, Astros 1 started last night in the bullpen. Threw quite a few pitches to come in for the next hitter, found something out while doing that and kind of just carried that over to today,” Price said.
Price tipped his cap to a few hundred Red Sox fans assembled behind the Boston dugout while they cheered as he walked off the field following postgame interviews.