Sale came out throwing bullets in the top of the first as he struck out Brian Dozier to start. Justin Turner whiffed but David Freese singled to right. Manny Machado flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox struck first against Kershaw in the bottom of the first as Mr. Mookie Betts singled up the middle to begin. Betts swiped second and scored on the double down the right field line by Andrew Benintendi to give the Sox the lead. Steve Pearce popped up to a backpedalling David Freese but JD Martinez singled home Benintendi to increase the lead. The count ran full to Xander Bogaerts but the rally ended as Martinez got picked off and Bogaerts popped up to Freese to end the inning with the Sox in front 2-0.
That set the down as the Dodgers controlled the rest of the game, beginning their domination in the top of the second by tagging Sale. Chris Taylor whiffed on a full count but Matt Kemp blasted a 80,000 foot home run into the Charles River to cut into the lead. Enrique Hernandez grounded out to third but Yasiel Puig walked. Austin Barnes whiffed to end the inning but it was 2-1 Sox.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the second although Rafael Devers walked to begin. Ian Kinsler whiffed but Sandy Leon singled Devers to third. The ALCS MVP Jackie Bradley Jr turned back into a pumpkin as he banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Dodgers tied the game in the top of the third inning although Dozier flied out to left to begin. Turner and Freese stroked back to back singles and Machado effortlessly singled Turner home to tie the game. Taylor looked at strike three and Kemp grounded back to the mound to end the inning but it was 2-2 and Sale looked to have nothing left.
The Sox fought back against Kershaw in the bottom of the third as Mr. Mookie whiffed to start. Benintendi somehow singled but Pearce banged into a double play to en.....wait. Sox manager Alex Cora challenged that Pearce beat out the relay throw. The call was overturned and the Sox pounced as Martinez doubled high off the centerfield wall to score Pearce to give the Sox the lead back. Martinez rolled his ankle at second but stayed in the game as Bogaerts was intentionally walked. The overmatched Devers whiffed on 3 pitches not even close to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 3-2.
Sale cruised in the top of the fourth as Chris struck out Hernandez to start. Puig whiffed and Barnes lined out to center to end the inning with Sale at 86 pitches. The Sox did nothing against Kershaw in the bottom of the fourth as Kinsler whiffed again to start. Leon looked at strike three and JBJ grounded out to first to end the inning.
Sale returned for the top of the fifth inning but walked Dozier on 5 pitches. That was it for Sale who had absolutely no command of his fastball but battled for 4 plus innings. Matt Barnes came in and Turner singled. Barnes blew away Freese but a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. That proved to be costly as Machado hit a perfect double play ball to second but Kinsler was only able to get the out at first, Dozier scoring the tying run. Cody Bellinger pinch hit for Taylor and flied out to right to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Bellinger stayed in the game in center with Hernandez moving to right for the bottom of the fifth where the Sox struck back. Mr. Mookie walked and Benintendi singled to chase Kershaw. Ryan Madson came in and Pearce walked to load the bases with nobody out. Martinez whiffed badly on 3 pitches but Bogaerts beat out a double play ball to score Mookie with the go-ahead run. Devers singled home Benintendi for the insurance run but Kinsler lined out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 5-3.
Joe Kelly came in for the top of the sixth and dominated. He blew away Kemp and Hernandez before Puig grounded out to first to end the inning. Julio Urias came in for the bottom of the sixth and matched Kelly. Leon whiffed, JBJ watched strike three go by and Mr. Mookie popped up to first to end the inning.
Ryan Brasier was brought in for the top of the seventh and crapped his pants. Joc Pederson pinch hit for Barnes and grounded out to short, but Max Muncy pinch hit for Dozier and singled. Turner singled and Yasmani Grandal pinch hit for Freese and walked to load the bases. Machado jacked one deep to center but JBJ ran it down, but Muncy scored to cut the lead. That was it for Brasier as Eduardo Rodriguez was brought in to pitch to Bellinger and got him to pop up to center to end the inning with the Sox still ahead 5-4.
Pederson took over in left with Hernandez moving to second as the Sox iced the game in the bottom of the seventh. Benintendi started the rally with a ground rule double and Pedro Baez came in for Urias. Mitch Moreland pinch hit for Pearce and whiffed but Martinez was intentionally walked. Bogaerts whiffed but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (yes, THAT one) brought in Alex Wood to pitch to Devers. Cora responded by pinch hitting Nunez for Devers and Eduardo responded by smashing a 3 run bomb into the Monster Seats to put the game away. Kinsler popped up to second to end the inning but it was 8-4 Sox.
Nathan Eovaldi the potential Game 3 starter came out for the top of the eighth and made the Dodgers beat the ball in the dirt. Kemp grounded out to short, Hernandez grounded out to second and Puig grounded out to short to end the inning. Leon singled to center to open the bottom of the eighth but JBJ whiffed. Mr. Mookie looked at strike three on the inside corner and Benintendi grounded out to second to end the inning.
Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel came in to lock down the top of the ninth and Pederson grounded out to second to begin. Muncy whiffed and Kimbrel blew away Turner on a full count fastball to end the game. The Sox had taken Game 1 by a score of 8-4.
Hero of the Night is Eduardo Nunez. His 3 run pinch hit home run iced the game in the bottom of the seventh.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 4 for 5 with an rbi and 3 runs scored.
JD Martinez was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 2 with a walk and rbi.
Sandy Leon was 2 for 4.
Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless 6th inning.
Eduardo Rodriguez retired the only man he faced.
Nathan Eovaldi pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless 9th.
The Bad:
Mitch Moreland struck out as a pinch hitter.
Ian Kinsler was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Ryan Brasier allowed a run in just 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 but walked, stole a base and scored 2 runs.
Steve Pearce was 0 for 2 but walked and scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 but walked and drove in a run.
Chris Sale lasted just 4 plus innings and allowed 3 runs but struck out 7.
Matt Barnes allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own in an inning of work.
Final Thoughts:
That's the way to start the World Series. The Sox got the timely hits they needed and got some good bullpen work with the exception of Brasier. Sale is still broken but at least he has the balls to go out and compete. If the Sox can win the next 3 games (and that's a big if) then he has all winter to get surgery or rest whatever is bothering him. The Dodgers look to be in trouble because if the Sox tag their best pitcher Kershaw like this, what are they going to do to the rest of their rotation? After all the Sox have pounded Luis Severino, CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander, Charlie Morton and Dallas Keuchel already this October. Still, the pitching needs to be better in order to take the series because the Dodgers offense is still good and can strike in the blink of an eye. Its going to be up to Eovaldi, Rick Porcello and especially David Price to carry the load with Sale nowhere close to being himself. Tomorrow night the Sox look to get halfway home in Game 2 by sending the rejuvinated David Price to the mound up against Hyun-Jin Ryu at 8:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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