LOS ANGELES (AP) — Boston's bench is a big reason why the Red Sox are one win away from their fourth World Series title since 2004.With the Red Sox regulars being held in check by the Los Angeles Dodgers, it was Mitch Moreland and Rafael Devers who came up with huge at-bats as Boston rallied for a 9-6 win on Saturday night to take a 3-1 lead in the series.Moreland hit a three-run home run off Ryan Madson in the seventh inning and Devers singled home Brock Holt with the go-ahead run in the ninth.Boston's pinch-hitters have come up big all series. Through the first four games, they are 6 for 18 (.333) with two home runs and seven RBIs. The Red Sox are batting .218 overall for the series.Moreland's homer to right on a first-pitch changeup was Boston's second pinch-hit home run in the World Series. The 1959 Dodgers and 1975 Red Sox are the only other teams with multiple pinch-hit homers in the same Fall Classic.He joins Bernie Carbo (who had two in 1975), Bobby Kielty (2007) and Eduardo Nunez... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The World Series was slipping away when Chris Sale stood in the back of the dugout and started screaming at his teammates.The Boston Red Sox had just fallen behind the Los Angeles Dodgers by four runs in the sixth inning Saturday night, nine outs from finding themselves tied 2-2 in a World Series that seemed to be a runaway just 28 hours earlier.His words were loud, not polite.These were not the reassuring words delivered by David Ortiz in his dugout huddle in St. Louis after the fifth inning of Game 4 five years ago.This was more like Justin Verlander's motivational message to the Houston Astros when he popped up the stairs in the very same dugout during Game 2 last October.Boston rallied on Mitch Moreland's three-run homer off Ryan Madson in the seventh and Steve Pearce's solo shot against Kenley Jansen in the eighth. Rafael Dever's go-ahead single in the ninth was followed by Pearce's three-run double and Xander Bogaert's RBI single built a five-run lead. With a 9-6... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series (all times local):9:08 p.m.Steve Pearce hit a tying homer in the eighth and a three-run double in the ninth, and the Boston Red Sox rallied from a four-run deficit in the seventh inning for a 9-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night and a 3-1 World Series lead.The improbable surge all started with pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland's three-run homer in the seventh, shortly after Yasiel Puig's three-run homer in the sixth had put the Dodgers up 4-0.Pinch-hitter Rafael Devers singled 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 against Clayton Kershaw, tying to close out Boston's fourth title in 15 seasons.___8:19 p.m.Thanks to Steve Pearce, we're tied again in the late innings at Dodger Stadium. Anyone up to play 18?Pearce... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series (all times local):8:19 p.m.Thanks to Steve Pearce, we're tied again in the late innings at Dodger Stadium. Anyone up to play 18?Pearce launched a solo home run off closer Kenley Jansen with one out in the Red Sox eighth, making it 4-all.The top of the Boston lineup had done nothing for two days until Pearce, batting third, homered over the wall in left-center field to compete a comeback from a 4-0 deficit.Los Angeles threatened in the bottom half, but pinch-hitter Yasmani Grandal struck out against Joe Kelly with runners at the corners.Game 3 was the longest in World Series, going 18 innings and more than seven hours. With both bullpens tired, we'll see how long Game 4 goes.___7:57 p.m.Pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland hit a long three-run homer off Ryan Madson, cutting the Los Angeles Dodgers' lead to 4-3 in the seventh inning of World Series Game 4.Given a four-run lead in the sixth on a run-scoring error and Yasiel Puig's three-run... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series (all times local):7:57 p.m.Pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland hit a long three-run homer off Ryan Madson, cutting the Los Angeles Dodgers' lead to 4-3 in the seventh inning of World Series Game 4.Given a four-run lead in the sixth on a run-scoring error and Yasiel Puig's three-run homer, Rich Hill walked Xander Bogaerts leading off the seventh and struck out Eduardo Nunez.Scott Alexander relieved and walked Brock Holt, and Madson relieved and retired pinch-hitter Jackie Bradley Jr. on a popup. Moreland crushed a changeup, driving it 437 feet deep into the right-field pavilion.Hill allowed one run and one hit in 6 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts and three walks.Kenley Jansen relieved to start the eighth for the Dodgers, a 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.___7:24 p.m.The Dodgers have taken a 4-0 lead in Game 4 of the World Series with a big sixth-inning... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Fenway Park gave the Los Angeles Dodgers the cold shoulder.No wonder they were California Dreamin' about Thursday's flight home."I think all the players are happy about going back to LA, but obviously we have some games to win," pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu said through a translator after Wednesday night's 4-2 loss to Boston dropped the Dodgers into a 2-0 World Series hole. "I think all the other players will be able to focus more and try to come back from this deficit."Fenway Park, at 106 the oldest big league ballpark, is crammed onto 9 acres in downtown Boston, the 37-foot-high Green Monster in left field a target for hitters and a terror for pitchers.Dodger Stadium, a modern ballpark when opened in 1962 but now the third-oldest, sits atop 300 acres of land in Chavez Ravine near downtown Los Angeles, surrounded by tiered parking lots with palm trees beyond the fences and the San Gabriel Mountains shimmering in the distance.While Fenway is urban tumult, Dodger Stadium symbolizes... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The San Gabriel Mountains shimmering in the distance will be a welcome sight for the Los Angeles Dodgers after two chilly, failed nights at Fenway Park.No team has overcome a 2-0 World Series deficit in 22 years, but that is the tall task the Dodgers face after crumbling before the 37-foot-high Green Monster."It's going to be warmer, and hopefully our bats get hot, too," Cody Bellinger said after Wednesday night's 4-2 defeat to the Boston Red Sox.No wonder they were California Dreamin' about Thursday's flight home.Used to the balmy breezes at home and usually hospitable weather in the NL West, Los Angeles hadn't started a game this year in a temperature below 58. Facing a 53-degree temperature at the start of the opener, the Dodgers lost 8-4. It was just 46 in the first inning for Game 2, and the Dodgers' bats were cold again — their last 16 hitters retired in order."This is the first time we've played in obviously weather like this — San Francisco a little bit, but nothing... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Fenway Park gave the Los Angeles Dodgers the cold shoulder.No wonder they were California Dreamin' about Thursday's flight home."I think all the players are happy about going back to LA, but obviously we have some games to win," pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu said through a translator after Wednesday night's 4-2 loss to Boston dropped the Dodgers into a 2-0 World Series hole. "I think all the other players will be able to focus more and try to come back from this deficit."Fenway Park, at 106 the oldest big league ballpark, is crammed onto 9 acres in downtown Boston, the 37-foot-high Green Monster in left field a target for hitters and a terror for pitchers.Dodger Stadium, a modern ballpark when opened in 1962 but now the third-oldest, sits atop 300 acres of land in Chavez Ravine near downtown Los Angeles, surrounded by tiered parking lots with palm trees beyond the fences and the San Gabriel Mountains shimmering in the distance.While Fenway is urban tumult, Dodger Stadium symbolizes... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Fenway Park gave the Los Angeles Dodgers the cold shoulder.No wonder they were California Dreamin' about Thursday's flight home."I think all the players are happy about going back to LA, but obviously we have some games to win," pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu said through a translator after Wednesday night's 4-2 loss to Boston dropped the Dodgers into a 2-0 World Series deficit. "I think all the other players will be able to focus more and try to come back from this deficit."Fenway Park, at 106 the oldest big league ballpark, is crammed onto 9 acres in downtown Boston, the 37-foot-high Green Monster in left field a target for hitters and a terror for pitchers.Dodger Stadium, a modern ballpark when opened in 1962 but now the third-oldest, sits atop 300 acres of land in Chavez Ravine near downtown Los Angeles, surrounded by tiered parking lots with palm trees beyond the fences and the San Gabriel Mountains shimmering in the distance.While Fenway is urban tumult, Dodger Stadium symbolizes... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The San Gabriel Mountains shimmering in the distance will be a welcome sight for the Los Angeles Dodgers after two chilly, failed nights at Fenway Park.No team has overcome a 2-0 World Series deficit in 22 years, but that is the tall task the Dodgers face after crumbling before the 37-foot-high Green Monster."It's going to be warmer, and hopefully our bats get hot, too," Cody Bellinger said after Wednesday night's 4-2 defeat to the Boston Red Sox.No wonder they were California Dreamin' about Thursday's flight home.Used to the balmy breezes at home and usually hospitable weather in the NL West, Los Angeles hadn't started a game this year in a temperature below 58. Facing a 53-degree temperature at the start of the opener, the Dodgers lost 8-4. It was just 46 in the first inning for Game 2, and the Dodgers' bats were cold again — their last 16 hitters retired in order."This is the first time we've played in obviously weather like this — San Francisco a little bit, but nothing... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The San Gabriel Mountains shimmering in the distance will be a welcome sight for the Los Angeles Dodgers after two chilly, failed nights at Fenway Park.No team has overcome a 2-0 World Series deficit in 22 years, but that is the tall task the Dodgers face after crumbling before the 37-foot-high Green Monster."It's going to be warmer, and hopefully our bats get hot, too," Cody Bellinger said after Wednesday night's 4-2 defeat to the Boston Red Sox.No wonder they were California Dreamin' about Thursday's flight home.Used to the balmy breezes at home and usually hospitable weather in the NL West, Los Angeles hadn't started a game this year in a temperature below 58. Facing a 53-degree temperature at the start of the opener, the Dodgers lost 8-4. It was just 46 in the first inning for Game 2, and the Dodgers' bats were cold again — their last 16 hitters retired in order."This is the first time we've played in obviously weather like this — San Francisco a little bit, but nothing... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox made magic with two outs during the American League playoffs.With a World Series title on the line, seems they have plenty left.Martinez delivered a two-out, tiebreaking single , and Boston got all its runs with two down while beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on Wednesday night for a 2-0 Series lead.Boston has done most of its scoring with two in the books: nine of its 12 runs through two World Series games have come that way, and 36 of 68 for the postseason.Martinez has been the electrifying force for much of that two-out October lightning. He entered Wednesday batting .667 with a 1.515 OPS with two outs in the postseason.Despite playing on the sore right ankle he rolled in Game 1, Boston's free-agent pickup went the other way for a two-run single in the fifth, a two-out knock that snapped a 2-all tie.Martinez has 13 RBIs through 11 postseason games, and seven of those have come with two outs."We just have guys that really do a really... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The San Gabriel Mountains shimmering in the distance will be a welcome sight for the Los Angeles Dodgers after two chilly, failed nights at Fenway Park.No team has overcome a 2-0 World Series deficit in 22 years, but that is the tall task the Dodgers face after crumbling before the 37-foot-high Green Monster."It's warmer, and hopefully our bats get hot, too," Cody Bellinger said after Wednesday night's 4-2 defeat to the Boston Red Sox.No wonder they were California Dreamin' about Thursday's flight home.Used to the balmy breezes at home and usually hospitable weather in the NL West, Los Angeles hadn't started a game this year in a temperature below 58. Facing a 53-degree temperature at the start of the opener, the Dodgers lost 8-4. It was just 46 in the first inning for Game 2, and the Dodgers' bats were cold again — their last 16 hitters retired in order."This is the first time we've played in obviously weather like this — San Francisco a little bit, but nothing like this,"... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Maybe this World Series just isn't in the cards for the Los Angeles Dodgers.Trying to play the matchup game, manager Dave Roberts' team instead looked overmatched at Fenway Park. They staggered home after a 4-2 loss Wednesday night, down 2-0 to the do-everything-right Boston Red Sox."We've got to do a better job of responding," catcher Austin Barnes said.Not even a bit of new-age strategy — and a curious sight — could save them.The Dodgers led 2-1 in the fifth inning when right-hander Ryan Madson was summoned to replace lefty starter Hyun-Jin Ryu with the bases loaded and two outs.As Madson warmed up, a Dodgers bat boy trotted onto the diamond, where outfielders Chris Taylor, Cody Bellinger and Yasiel Puig were waiting. The bat boy gave each of them laminated cards, presumably with new alignments for defensive positioning for Madson on the mound.They didn't help when Madson walked Steve Pearce, forcing home the tying run and bringing cleanup man J.D. Martinez to the plate.Martinez... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox made magic with two outs during the AL playoffs.With a World Series on the line, seems they have plenty left.Martinez delivered a two-out tiebreaking single, and Boston got all of its runs with two down while beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on Wednesday night for a 2-0 World Series lead.Boston has done most of its scoring with two in the books: nine of its 12 runs through two World Series games have come that way, and 36 of 68 for the postseason.Martinez has been the electrifying force for much of that two-out October lightning. He entered Tuesday batting .667 with a 1.515 OPS with two outs in the postseason.Despite playing on the sore right ankle he rolled in Game 1, Boston's free-agent pickup went the other way for a two-run single in the fifth, a two-out knock that snapped a 2-2 tie.Martinez has 13 RBIs through 11 postseason games, and seven of those have come with two outs.The Red Sox entered Wednesday batting .405 with a 1.335... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The San Gabriel Mountains shimmering in the distance will be a welcome sight for the Los Angeles Dodgers after two chilly, failed nights at Fenway Park.The Dodgers were cold and out of sorts during two games in Boston, falling behind 2-0 in the World Series — a deficit no team has overcome in 22 years.Used to the warm weather and gentle breezes of the NL West, Los Angeles hadn't started a game this year in a temperature below 58. Facing a 53-degree temperature at the start of the opener, the Dodgers lost 8-4. It was just 46 in the first inning Wednesday night, and their performance was just as cold in a 4-2 defeat."This is the first time we've played in obviously weather like this — San Francisco a little bit, but nothing like this," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Game 2. "So it's an adjustment, and that's part of the home-field advantage and especially being in the bullpen, where you have a little heater, but still have to kind of get hot and stay hot. It's more... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):11:20 p.m.David Price pitched six innings of three-hit ball, and major league RBI leader J.D. Martinez broke a fifth-inning tie in another two-out rally that led the Boston Red Sox to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers for a 2-0 lead in the World Series.Craig Kimbrel closed out the win at noisy Fenway Park, putting the Red Sox halfway to their fourth championship in 15 seasons.Game 3 is Friday in Los Angeles. The Dodgers would need a win then to avoid an 0-3 deficit that no World Series team has ever recovered from.The Red Sox have now won 14 of their last 16 World Series games, dating to a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2004.___11:15 p.m.Closer Craig Kimbrel is coming in to pitch the ninth inning as the Red Sox try to preserve a 4-2 lead.Starter David Price and the Boston bullpen have throttled the Dodgers, and the Red Sox are nearing a 2-0 lead in the World Series.___11 p.m.The Los Angeles Dodgers had... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):10:37 p.m.Boston's David Price was relieved after six innings by Joe Kelly in World Series Game 2 with the Red Sox ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 and was in position to win his second straight postseason start after failing to gain a victory in his first 11.Price allowed two runs, three hits and three walks, throwing 88 pitches.Julio Urias pitched a perfect sixth inning for the Dodgers, who were in danger of falling behind 2-0 in the World Series.___10:24 p.m.Maybe it's not in the cards for the Dodgers tonight, either.There was an interesting sight in the fifth inning when Ryan Madson came into the game to relieve Los Angeles starter Hyun-Jin Ryu. During the pitching change, a bat boy brought out laminated cards and gave them to the LA outfielders, certainly to realign their defensive positions.They didn't help when Madson walked Steve Pearce with two outs and the bases loaded. And they weren't much good when cleanup hitter... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):10:24 p.m.Maybe it's not in the cards for the Dodgers tonight, either.There was an interesting sight in the fifth inning when Ryan Madson came into the game to relieve Los Angeles starter Hyun-Jin Ryu. During the pitching change, a bat boy brought out laminated cards and gave them to the LA outfielders, certainly to realign their defensive positions.They didn't help when Madson walked Steve Pearce with two outs and the bases loaded. And they weren't much good when cleanup hitter J.D. Martinez hit an opposite-field liner to right that fell way in front of Yasiel Puig, who might've been playing too deep, even for the slugger.The two-run single put Boston ahead 4-2 going into the sixth.Before the game, Madson said about facing Martinez: "You know you're in a pit with a rattlesnake, and one bad move, and you'll get bit if you're not paying attention."Andrew Benintendi drew a walk that finished Ryu, bringing in Madson. The Red Sox... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The first delivery from Ryan Madson was a changeup that bounced past catcher Austin Barnes for a wild pitch, allowing two baserunners to advance.Things hardly got better from there for the previously dependable Dodgers bullpen.Madson and three other relievers failed to slow Boston's bats on a night when ace Clayton Kershaw wasn't at his best, either, and Los Angeles fell to the Red Sox 8-4 in the World Series opener Tuesday.Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been able to count on his relievers this October. The group is 4-1 with a 1.30 ERA, limiting opponents to a .180 average.Against the AL champions at their chilly home park, though, that group went ice cold in Game 1."You're going to have to go to the 'pen and play matchups, and that's kind of how I saw it, we saw it," Roberts said. "But they got the big hit when they needed it."Kershaw was chased from a 3-3 game in the fifth after walking Mookie Betts and allowing a single to Andrew Benintendi.Roberts gave the ball to Madson,... [More]