Red Sox Game 4 hero Steve Pearce knocks first-inning homer in Game 5 as Boston aims for ninth title

2018 WORLD SERIES: RED SOX 3, DODGERS 1

This marks the 48th time that the World Series stands at 3-1. 

Of the previous 47 times, the team leading 3-1 has won the series 40 times (85.1%), and they have won Game 5 on 26 occasions (55.3%). 

The seven teams that came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the World Series include the 2016 Cubs, 1985 Royals, 1979 Pirates, 1968 Tigers, 1958 Yankees, 1925 Pirates and the 1903 Pilgrims (best-of-9). 

Of those seven, the 2016 Cubs, 1979 Pirates, 1968 Tigers and 1958 Yankees all had to win Game 5 at home followed by Games 6 and 7 on the road

(Source: Major League Baseball) 

Game 5 of the World Series got off to a thunderous start, as Boston’s Game 4 hero Steve Pearce knocked a two-run home run in the top half of the first inning, and Los Angeles’s David Freese responded with a solo shot of his own to cut the lead 2-1. 

The Red Sox are aiming to win the franchise’s ninth World Series crown and the Dodgers hope to stave off elimination and force a Game 6 in Boston on Tuesday.

As if the drama of the World Series had not been unpredictable enough, the Red Sox threw out their latest surprise when they named pitcher David Price as the starter for Sunday’s Game Five against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Price ultimately gave up the first-inning home run to Freese.  

Red Sox manager Alex Cora revealed that he had shuffled the pitching rotation following Saturday’s come-from-behind 9-6 win over the Dodgers.

Game One starter Chris Sale was expected to again get the ball but, with the Red Sox leading 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, they turned back to Game Two winner Price.

‘It’s something we talked about before (Game Four). We feel like David is good (for Sunday),’ Cora said.

‘We feel that this is a good spot for David, in a National League park to start a game. Obviously he’s been throwing the ball well.

‘It’s not that we’re playing with the lead, but we feel that for the team, for where we’re at pitching-wise, it’s good to go with David.’

Boston Red Sox first baseman Steve Pearce hits a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning

(Left) Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman David Freese (25) celebrates with outfielder Yasiel Puig (66) after hitting a solo home run in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox in game five of the 2018 World Series

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman David Freese (25) celebrates after hitting a solo home run to cut Boston’s lead to 2-1

(Left) Boston Red Sox starting pitcher David Price waits as Los Angeles Dodgers’ David Freese rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning (Right) Valente Quintero poses for a picture before Game 5

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, right, speaks with Red Sox manager Alex Cora, left, during batting practice before Game 5

Cora has rarely been second-guessed during a post-season run that has featured 10 wins to just three losses. This move, however, has set off alarm bells — mainly about the health of Sale, who missed a start in the American League Championship series due to a stomach illness.

‘Chris is okay,’ Cora said. ‘Actually, he’ll be back there. If necessary in Game 6, he’s the starter.’

DODGERS MANAGER DAVE ROBERTS TALK ABOUT TRUMP TWEET

By The Associated Press 

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he talked to his players and coaching staff about President Donald Trump’s tweet criticizing Roberts for taking Rich Hill out of Saturday’s Game 4 but that he hasn’t thought much about it beyond that.

Los Angeles trails 3-1 in the best-of-seven series and is trying to avoid seeing another team celebrate a championship at its own park. Houston won last year’s World Series here in seven games.

‘I’m focused on winning today. So I really don’t have too much bandwidth to kind of really take in all the criticism,’ Roberts said. ‘I think that there’s a lot of thoughts and opinions that people don’t have all the information, which is commonplace these days and cultivate opinions and give out there. So I think for me it’s noise.’

While Sale did not take the field during the team’s win on Saturday, he was certainly active. He was seen yelling at his team mates after the Red Sox fell behind 4-0 to the Dodgers, and Boston credited him for sparking the rally.

‘Oh, my god, he was mad at us. I think that kind of lit a fire under everybody,’ Red Sox infielder Brock Holt said. ‘We didn’t want to see him mad anymore. So we decided to start swinging the bats a little bit.’

Price hopes for similar support today when the Red Sox attempt to clinch their second title in five years.

For Price, the start is an opportunity to continue to slay his post-season demons. The 33-year-old, in the midst of a seven-year, $217 million contract, earned his first playoff win in 12 tries during the ALCS.

He’s won his last two post-season starts, after leading Boston past Los Angeles in Game Two. One more victory would be the ultimate triumph for him and the Red Sox.

The Los Angeles Dodgers left Cody Bellinger out of their lineup for Game 5.

The left-handed batter was held out of the starting lineup in Games 1 and 2 against lefties Sale and Price, respectively, though he came off the bench late in both games. Price is starting Game 5 for Boston, opposite Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw, as the Red Sox try to close out the series.

Enrique Hernandez, who started in center and batted seventh in Games 1 and 2, started in center and hit third for L.A.. The Dodgers went with first baseman Freese in the leadoff spot for the second straight game, with third baseman Justin Turner second, shortstop Manny Machado fourth and Game 3 hero Max Muncy fifth.

Yasiel Puig, Chris Taylor and Austin Barnes were sixth, seventh and eighth in Roberts’ batting order.

The only change for the Red Sox was at third base, where Rafael Devers stepped in for Eduardo Nunez. Devers is hitting seventh, with Brock Holt moving up to sixth.

Los Angeles Dodgers players stand for the national anthem before Game 5 of the 2018 World Series

Fans pose for a picture by a championship ring before Game 5 of the World Series between the Red Sox and Dodgers 

Boston Red Sox fans try to catch souvenirs before game five of the 2018 World Series

President of Baseball Operations for the Boston Red Sox Dave Dombrowski sits in the team’s dugout before Game 5

Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser – a member of the 1988 title-winning Dodgers – throws out the first pitch

A Boston Red Sox fan arrives before Game 5 of the World Series as his team seeks its ninth Major League title 

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