BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):7:55 p.m.Boston's 8-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series opener drew an average of 13,755,000 viewers on Fox, down 8 percent from the 14,698,000 for the Dodgers' 3-1 win over Houston in Game 1 last year.The viewers were the fewest since 12,191,000 for San Francisco's 7-1 win over Kansas City in the 2014 opener.___7:25 p.m.Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred doesn't foresee any problems if the World Series winner is invited to make the traditional visit to the White House.Both World Series teams have minority managers for the first time, and President Donald Trump has had tense relationships with many minority groups."I think as an institution, Major League Baseball has always had the greatest respect for the office of the presidency," Manfred said before Game 2 Wednesday night. "That doesn't change, no matter who's there. Often we've had situations where individuals, players, whatever, don't agree with all of... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):5:15 p.m.A giant rainbow has appeared over Fenway Park, stretching from end to end. It's so big and gorgeous that Red Sox players stopped to marvel at it during warmups before Game 2 of the World Series.Fenway DJ TJ Connelly noticed, too, playing the Rolling Stones' "She's A Rainbow " for fans as they entered the park. Many people walking in stopped to take pictures.There was rain in the late afternoon that threatened to cancel batting practice for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston for the second straight day. But it cleared up in time for workouts.There were three rainbows over Fenway before the opener Tuesday, but none that rivaled this spectacular show.___4:55 p.m.The Red Sox made one change to their starting batting order after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series opener, inserting Christian Vazquez at catcher for Game 2 in place of Sandy Leon.Boston manager Alex Cora dropped the catcher's spot one slot to... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Red Sox made one change to their starting batting order after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series opener, inserting Christian Vazquez at catcher for Game 2 in place of Sandy Leon.Boston manager Alex Cora dropped the catcher's spot one slot to ninth on Wednesday night, raising center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to eighth.The Dodgers didn't change their lineup.David Price starts on the mound for the Red Sox and Hyun-Jin Ryu for the Dodgers. This marks just the third World Series in which both starting pitchers in the first two games are lefties, after 1963 and 1973.In the opener, the Dodgers became the first team to start nine right-handed hitters in a Series game, none switch-hitters.Second baseman Brian Dozier leads off for the Dodgers, followed by third baseman Justin Turner, first baseman David Freese, shortstop Manny Machado, left fielder Chris Taylor, designated hitter Matt Kemp, center fielder Enrique Hernandez, right fielder Yasiel Puig and catcher Austin Barnes.Right fielder Mookie Betts hits leadoff for Boston, followed by left fielder Andrew Benintendi, first baseman Steve Pearce, designated hitter J.D. Martinez, shortstop Xander Bogaerts, third baseman Rafael Devers, second baseman Ian Kinsler, Vazquez and Bradley.Roberts had Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy and Joc Pederson on the bench.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn't want his lefties to feel left out.Even as Los Angeles loaded its lineup with right-handed batters to face Boston lefty Chris Sale, Cora stayed with Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers against left-handed Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday night.Benintendi responded with four hits — going 3 for 3 against the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner — and three runs. Devers drove in one of them to lead the Red Sox to an 8-4 victory in a blustery Series opener."We're facing a guy who's one of the best of all time. And a lot of guys didn't have a lot of experience off of him; the first time a lot of us have faced him. Didn't really know what to expect," Benintendi said. "We had a good game plan. We stuck to it."Benintendi had one four-hit performance in the regular season but had never topped two in a postseason game during his career. The 24-year-old left fielder became just the second lefty ever to have three hits... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn't want his lefties to feel left out.Even as Los Angeles loaded its lineup with right-handed batters to face Red Sox lefty Chris Sale, Cora stayed with Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers against left-handed Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday night.Benintendi responded with four hits — going 3 for 3 against the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner — and three runs. Devers drove in one of them to lead the Red Sox to an 8-4 victory over the Dodgers in a blustery Series opener."We're facing a guy who's one of the best of all time. And a lot of guys didn't have a lot of experience off of him; the first time a lot of us have faced him. Didn't really know what to expect," Benintendi said. "We had a good game plan. We stuck to it."Benintendi had one four-hit performance in the regular season but had never topped two in a postseason game during his career. The 24-year-old left fielder is just the second lefty ever to have... [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]

Sometimes, in the pressure cooker of a World Series, a manager gets distracted by all those indecipherable charts and the trove of analytics he has at his fingertips.Sometimes, he spends too much time flailing around in search of the perfect matchup instead of just watching what's occurring right before his eyes.That's what happened to Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers.In a classic case of over-managing, Roberts helped send his team to an 8-4 loss in Game 1 Tuesday night against the Boston Red Sox by making one move too many in the decisive seventh inning, setting up Eduardo Nunez's three-run homer.The Dodgers were trailing only 5-4, despite another postseason flop by Clayton Kershaw, when Andrew Benintendi led off with his fourth hit of the game — a blooper down the left-field line that somehow managed to elude Joc Pederson before hopping into the stands for a fluky ground-rule double.Roberts hustled to the mound to lift Julio Urias, summoning hard-throwing right-hander Pedro Baez... [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 frigid home park, though, that group went ice cold in Game 1.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, a key piece when LA's bullpen covered 5 1/3 scoreless innings in a Game 7 victory over Milwaukee to close out the Championship Series. Roberts has leaned on Madson... [More]

Sometimes, in the pressure cooker of a World Series, a manager gets distracted by all those indecipherable charts and the trove of analytics he has at his disposable.Sometimes, he spends too much time flailing around in search of the perfect matchup instead of just watching what's happening right before his eyes.That's what happened to Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers.In a classic case of over-managing, Roberts helped send his team to an 8-4 loss in Game 1 Tuesday night against the Boston Red Sox by making one move too many in the decisive seventh inning.The Dodgers were trailing only 5-4, despite another postseason flop by Clayton Kershaw, when Andrew Benintendi led off with his fourth hit of the game — a bloop down the left-field line that somehow managed to elude Joc Pederson before hopping into the stands for a rather fluky ground-rule double.Roberts hustled to the mound to lift Julio Urias, summoning hard-throwing right-hander Pedro Baez from the bullpen.Baez was left off the... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):12:03 a.m.Andrew Benintendi, J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox came out swinging in the World Series opener, seizing every advantage in their quirky ballpark to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-4 on a chilly Tuesday night.Benintendi delivered four hits, Martinez drove in two early runs and pinch-hitter Eduardo Nunez golfed a three-run homer to seal it. The 108-win Red Sox got a solid effort from their bullpen after an expected duel between aces Chris Sale and Clayton Kershaw never developed.Xander Bogaerts hit into a go-ahead forceout in the fifth and Rafael Devers followed with an RBI single for a 5-3 lead.After Manny Machado hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh for his third RBI, Nunez homered over the Green Monster off Alex Wood in the bottom half.Boston's David Price faces Hyun-Jin Ryun in Game 2 on Wednesday. This marks just the third World Series in which both starting pitchers in the first two games are lefties.___11:35... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):11:35 p.m.Pinch-hitter Eduardo Nunez's three-run homer off Alex Wood gave the Red Sox an 8-4 lead in the seventh inning.Manny Machado's sacrifice fly against Ryan Brasier had pulled the Dodgers to 5-4 in the top half. With runners on second and third, Eduardo Rodriguez relieved and retired Cody Bellinger on an inning-ending flyout.Andrew Benintendi led off the bottom half with a double against Julio Urias that kicked off the glove of Bellinger in short left, Benintendi's fourth hit of the game. Bellinger had just entered the game in the top half.Pedro Baez struck out Mitch Moreland, intentionally walked J.D. Martinez and struck out Xander Bogaerts.Nunez batted for Rafael Devers, Wood relieved and Nunez sent a knuckle-curve just over the Green Monster.___10:51 p.m.Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly used his 100 mph heat to restore order to a grinding game, preserving Boston's 5-3 lead after six innings.Kelly retired three straight Dodgers,... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):10:51 p.m.Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly used his 100 mph heat to restore order to a grinding game, preserving Boston's 5-3 lead after six innings.Kelly retired three straight Dodgers, the first solid effort by a bullpen guy this evening. Los Angeles reliever Julio Urias then did the same thing in the bottom half.Good hitters are coming for both teams as Game 1 heads to the seventh.___10:40 p.m.The Red Sox are back in the lead, 5-3, after five innings and the teams have turned it over to their bullpens in Game 1 of the World Series.Chris Sale and Clayton Kershaw both got pulled after allowing baserunners to start the fifth. After the Dodgers tied it 3-3 in the top half and chased Sale, Kershaw walked Mookie Betts to lead off the bottom and then gave up Andrew Benintendi's third hit of the game.Ryan Madson loaded the bases by walking Steve Pearce on four pitches, bringing up J.D. Martinez, who already had two hits and two RBIs in... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):10:40 p.m.The Red Sox are back in the lead, 5-3, after five innings and the teams have turned it over to their bullpens in Game 1 of the World Series.Chris Sale and Clayton Kershaw both got pulled after allowing baserunners to start the fifth. After the Dodgers tied it 3-3 in the top half and chased Sale, Kershaw walked Mookie Betts to lead off the bottom and then gave up Andrew Benintendi's third hit of the game.Ryan Madson loaded the bases by walking Steve Pearce on four pitches, bringing up J.D. Martinez, who already had two hits and two RBIs in the game. He struck out on three pitches.Xander Bogaerts gave Boston the lead with a fielder's choice groundout, then Rafael Devers made it 5-3 with a single.In all, Kershaw was charged with five runs on seven hits and three walks. He struck out five and stands to take the loss if the Dodgers can't rally.__10:35 p.m.Red Sox starter Chris Sale is out of the game, leaving after walking... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):9:58 p.m.Boston Red Sox starter Chris Sale left in the top of the fifth inning of the World Series opener despite a 3-2 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers.Sale walked Brian Dozier leading off the fifth and was replaced by Matt Barnes. Sale threw 91 pitches, allowing five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.Clayton Kershaw, starting his second straight World Series opener for the Dodgers, threw 69 pitches in the first four innings and retired five straight batters after J.D. Martinez's tiebreaking double in the third. Kershaw had given up six hits with five strikeouts and two walks.___9:40 p.m.J.D. Martinez put Boston ahead 3-2 with a booming double in the third inning — and also put a scare into Red Sox fans at Fenway Park.Martinez lined a long drive against Clayton Kershaw that hit off the garage door on the center field wall. But the big designated hitter slipped rounding the bases, his left foot skidding off the bag at... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):9:10 p.m.The Dodgers are liking this designated hitter thing.Los Angeles DH Matt Kemp homered in the top of the second inning on Tuesday night to cut Boston's lead in Game 1 of the World Series to 2-1. The 34-year-old spent most of his time as an outfielder in the NL this season but also played five games as DH, batting .389 with a homer in 18 at-bats.The designated hitter is used in the AL parks only in interleague play, including the World Series.Kemp hit a 3-2 pitch from Chris Sale 389 feet into the front row of the Green Monster Seats. Perhaps a bigger problem for Boston is that Sale needed 51 pitches to get through two innings.Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw was at 37 pitches, thanks in part to an inning-ending double play after Boston put runners on first and third in the bottom of the second.___8:45 p.m.Run-scoring singles by Andrew Benintendi and J.D. Martinez against Clayton Kershaw in the first inning gave the Boston... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):8:45 p.m.Run-scoring singles by Andrew Benintendi and J.D. Martinez against Clayton Kershaw in the first inning gave the Boston Red Sox a 2-0 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series opener.Chris Sale pitched a one-hit top of the first, allowing a two-out single to David Freese before retiring Manny Machado on a flyout.After Freese allowed Mookie Betts' foul pop behind first to fall on a blustery night, Betts led off the bottom half with a single, stole second and scored on Benintendi's single to right.Yasiel Puig's throw home had little chance to catch Betts, and Benintendi took second on the toss. One out later, Martinez singled past a diving Machado at shortstop, and Benintendi came home without a play as Kershaw looked on in disgust.___8:30 p.m.The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to start nine right-handed batters in a World Series game, none of them switch-hitters.There were 20 previous instances... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):7:55 p.m.Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts received a big cheer from the Boston fans when he was introduced before Game 1 of the World Series.Roberts is still beloved in Boston for his brief tenure with the Red Sox. It was his stolen base in Game 4 of the 2004 AL playoffs that turned things around for the long-futile franchise. The Red Sox came back to tie it the ninth inning and rally from an 0-3 deficit in the series to beat the New York Yankees and then win their first World Series in 86 years.But the love-fest didn't last long.Second baseman Brian Dozier was introduced next, and the cheers turned to boos.___6:45 p.m.The field at Fenway Park was cleared in anticipation of bad weather before the World Series opener."Attention fans: Due to severe weather in the area, please take cover in the concourse or under the grandstands immediately," a message on the video board read 90 minutes before the scheduled start as lightning... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):6:45 p.m.The field at Fenway Park was cleared in anticipation of bad weather before the World Series opener."Attention fans: Due to severe weather in the area, please take cover in the concourse or under the grandstands immediately," a message on the video board read 90 minutes before the scheduled start as lightning flashed. "Thank you for your patience."Afternoon showers were followed by clearing, and three rainbows appeared by the ballpark: two behind the Green Monster in left field and one in back of the stands on the first-base side. A narrow storm line could pass through just before or after the scheduled 8:09 p.m. EDT start.___5:25 p.m.A trio of gorgeous rainbows showed up over Fenway Park ahead of Game 1 of the World Series. There were two beyond the Green Monster, and another brilliant 'bow far past the right-field stands.A good omen for Boston? Well, there was a wonderful rainbow over Fenway in 2013 while the Red Sox... [More]

A position-by-position look at the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox going into the World Series, starting Tuesday night at Fenway Park:___First Base:Dodgers: David Freese or Max Muncy. One of several spots where Los Angeles platoons based on matchups. Freese, a proven postseason performer, figures to face left-handers Chris Sale and David Price early in the Series. Freese was MVP of the 2011 World Series and NLCS with St. Louis. He had a homer and five RBIs in 10 playoff at-bats this year. Muncy, who was released by Oakland and spent 2017 in the minors, became one of baseball's biggest surprises this season with 35 home runs and a .973 OPS. He batted .182 with two homers, 10 walks and 18 strikeouts in 11 playoff games.Red Sox: Steve Pearce or Mitch Moreland. The underappreciated Pearce has played for seven big league teams, including all five in the AL East. He hammers left-handed pitching, which could really come in handy against a Dodgers team with three southpaw starters. Moreland,... [More]

A look at the best-of-seven World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox:___Schedule: (All times EDT) Game 1, Tuesday, at Boston, 8:09 p.m.; Game 2, Wednesday, at Boston, 8:09 p.m.; Game 3, Friday, at Los Angeles, 8:09 p.m.; Game 4, Saturday, at Los Angeles, 8:09 p.m.; x-Game 5, Sunday, Oct. 28, at Los Angeles, 8:15 p.m.; x-Game 6, Tuesday, Oct. 30, at Boston, 8:09 p.m.; x-Game 7, Wednesday, Oct. 31, at Boston, 8:09 p.m. (All games on FOX).x-if necessary.___Season Series: Did not play.___Projected Lineups:Dodgers: 1B-DH David Freese (.282, 9 HRs, 42 RBIs with Pirates; .385, 2, 9 with Dodgers) or 1B-2B-DH Max Muncy (.263, 35, 79, .973 OPS), 3B Justin Turner (.312, 14, 52), SS Manny Machado (.315, 24, 65, .963 OPS with Orioles; .273, 13, 42, .825 OPS with Dodgers), CF-1B Cody Bellinger (.260, 25, 76, 151 Ks in 162 games), LF Chris Taylor (.254, 17, 63, team-high 178 Ks in 155 games) or Joc Pederson (.248, 25, 56) or Matt Kemp (.290, 21, 85, 115 Ks in 146 games), RF Yasiel... [More]