Series over? Feels like it
If ticket-holders for Games 6 and 7 of the World Series want to see the 2018 Red Sox, they shouldn’t head to Fenway Park next Tuesday or Wednesday. Consider staking out some space along the Charles River or Boylston Street instead.
Then look for the guys in the duck boats.
They’re the ones who are leaving town Thursday afternoon up 2-0 in this World Series, with three shots to win two more at Dodger Stadium.
For a team that won 108 games in 162 tries in the regular season, the math on that works out to be exactly two wins in every three games.
I think the Red Sox have got this. And although it is never easy to win on the road, the Red Sox are making winning against the Dodgers look awfully easy.
They have dismantled the Dodgers in these first two games, and Wednesday night’s 4-2 victory was one of those standard-issue take a lead, lose a lead, then stage a two-out rally that allows them to re-take and never give back a lead.
Just like the regular season, and now in the postseason, the Red Sox look as if they are just getting started on this “winning” theme.
They are playing better than ever, making the foe and the site of any remaining games feel irrelevant.
“We’ve been playing the same way all year, there’s no reason for us to change – won 108 with it, so it just wouldn’t make sense to change things now,” said Mookie Betts who had three hits and scored a run in the 4-2 victory. “It doesn’t matter where we play, we’ve got to play 27 outs and we want to play the game the same way we always do,”
Manager Alex Cora made a funny when asked what it felt like to be up 2-0.
“I mean, at least we know if things don’t go well in LA, we’re coming back – so that’s good,” said Cora. “We played two good games. Today a tough one. They pitched well. We put some good at-bats. We pitched extremely well. David [Price] was amazing. And then the bullpen did what they’ve been doing during October and now we’re up 2-0.”
Two games in and the numbers are tilting with a thud in the direction of the Red Sox.
They’ve outscored the Dodgers, 12-6; outslugged them .406 to .222; accumulated more total bases, 26-14, out-hit them, 19-11; and maintained a .297 vs. .175 batting average. Their pitchers have a 3.00 ERA, the Dodgers’ staff is at 6.75.
It’s a seven-game series and we’re just two games in but all those numbers roughly average out to making the Red Sox twice as good as the Dodgers.
And unless the Red Sox pull a 1986 Red Sox on us all and allow that 2-0 lead slip through their hands like some groundball rolling through some first baseman’s legs, the feeling is decidedly like 2004 and 2007.
That was when the Red Sox won their first two games at home and then won the next two on the road, first in St. Louis and then in Denver.
And in case anyone forgot about what happened in 2004, a few members of that Red Sox team, like Pedro Martinez, Jason Varitek, Kevin Millar, Keith Foulke, Alan Embree and David Ortiz burst out of the Red Sox dugout for the ceremonial first pitch.
Their old teammate, Dave Roberts, ran out to hug a few of them before returning to the visitors’ dugout.
It was the happiest moment of his night.
“We’ve got to find a way to win a baseball game,” said Roberts. “I think coming in here I thought we played these guys pretty straight up. Obviously we come out of here going home down 2-0. But they made pitches when they needed to. And when we stressed them, they made the pitch. And then when it flipped, they got the hit, and we didn’t. And that’s kind of the difference in tonight’s game.
“But I think as far as ballclub, talent, you can kind of look at the pitching, the offense. We’re not swinging the bats well right now. That’s obvious. But I think getting home, seeing their guys in the pen, I think we’ll be ready for Game 3.”
Dodgers first baseman David Freese echoed his skipper.
“Playing a team like Milwaukee [in the NLCS] should set you up for a team like Boston – Boston, you don’t accidentally win 108 wins, but man, this series ain’t over,” said Freese. “They know they’re going up against [Game 3 starter] Walk[er Buehler], and on our home turf – they’ll be ready, just like us.”
The Dodgers do need to be ready. And when I say Dodgers, I mean the cleaning crew that will be required to clean up the visitors’ clubhouse after a big old celebration Saturday or Sunday night.
(Boston Herald/TNS)