The Boston Red Sox overcame a late four-run deficit on Saturday to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-6 in Game 4 of the World Series and take a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The Red Sox scored five runs in the top of the ninth behind RBI hits by Rafael Devers, Steve Pearce and Xander Bogaerts to complete the comeback and put themselves one win away from their fourth World Series title since 2004.
“This team has a lot of fight,” said first baseman Pearce, whose bases-loaded double in the ninth put the game out of reach.
Photo: AFP
Saturday’s game was played the day after the Dodgers won an 18-inning contest in Friday’s Game 3, taxing both sides.
Red Sox second baseman Brock Holt said that his team’s ability to bounce back from that loss showed his club’s resiliency.
“Last night, what a baseball game. To come out and start out slow but finish like we did, it just shows what this team is capable of,” he said.
The Dodgers appeared to have Saturday’s win in hand when Justin Turner scored on an error and Yasiel Puig smashed a three-run home run in the sixth inning to put the home team up 4-0.
However, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled starting pitcher Rich Hill in the seventh inning despite Hill only giving up one hit and dominating Boston’s potent lineup on a chilly Southern California evening.
Left-hander Scott Alexander came in and walked the only batter that he faced before being replaced by struggling reliever Ryan Madson.
Madson gave up a three-run home run to pinch hitter Mitch Moreland later in the inning to cut the Dodgers lead to one.
Roberts brought closer Kenley Jansen in to try and pitch out the final two innings, but the move backfired when Steve Pearce hit a solo home run to tie the game at 4-4.
The floodgates opened for Boston in the top of the final frame, with the biggest hit coming from Pearce, whose bases-clearing double drove in Devers, Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi in the five-run ninth.
Kiki Hernandez cut the lead with a two-run home run in the bottom half of the inning, but it was not enough for the Dodgers.
Roberts defended his controversial decision to pull Hill, saying that the lefty told him that he was tiring.
“He said, ‘Keep an eye on me. Let’s go hitter to hitter and just keep an eye on me,’” Roberts said.
“So right there, I know Rich did everything he could, competed, left everything out there,” he added.
Game 5 was to be played yesterday at Dodger Stadium.
In World Series contests, the team leading 3-1 has won the championship 85 percent of the time.
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