LA Dodgers (0-1) at Boston (1-0)
When: Wednesday, October 24th 2018
Where: Fenway Park,
Boston, Massachusetts
Time: 8:09 ET | TV: FOX
Opening Odds: Boston -134/8.5
A key for the Los Angeles Dodgers to beating the Boston Red Sox in this year’s World Series may be to not let them score first. Boston pounced on Dodgers’ ace Clayton Kershaw in the first inning and improved to 8-0 this postseason when they score first after an 8-4 win in Game 1 of the Fall Classic. Neither Kershaw or Boston ace Chris Sale looked particularly good on Tuesday, but it was the Red Sox who got the better performance from the bullpen and will look to take a 2-0 lead before heading out to the west coast. Andrew Benintendi had four hits and Eduardo Nunez belted a pinch-hit, three-run homer to put the game away in the seventh inning, while Manny Machado drove in three runs for the Dodgers. Benintendi joined Wally Moses (1946) and Jacoby Ellsbury (2007) as the only Boston players with four hits in a World Series game. Los Angeles DH Matt Kemp became the 36th player to homer in his first World Series at-bat. Boston will turn to lefty David Price in Game 2 after he recorded his first postseason win in 12 tries last time out. He’ll be opposed by fellow-lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Pitchers: Dodgers – Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-1, 4.40 ERA) | Red Sox – David Price (1-1, 5.11)
Like Kershaw, Ryu has never pitched in Fenway Park and was in awe of Fenway Park. “My initial reaction to the Green Monster is, it’s very tall. I don’t think there is going to be much difference between a left-handed pitcher and a right-handed pitcher because the dimension is still going to stay the same regardless.” Ryu has made three starts this postseason with each one getting progressively worse. He shutout the Braves for seven innings in the NLDS, but allowed seven runs in 7.1 innings over two starts against Milwaukee in the NLCS. Ryu is 2-1 with a 3.56 ERA in six career postseason starts.
Price set aside his longstanding postseason struggles with six scoreless innings in the American League Championship Series-clinching win over Houston last week. He is 3-9 with a 5.04 ERA in 20 career postseason appearances (12 starts), with the first two wins coming as a reliever. Price is 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two career starts against the Dodgers.
This Boston team is proving why they had the best record in baseball this season. Price’s first postseason win doesn’t all of the sudden give me confidence that he will dominate. I do believe the Dodgers can get to him here and I know the Red Sox can hit the suddenly slumping Ryu. Take the over.
Pick: OVER 8.5 -120
BETTING TRENDS:
- Dodgers are 8-0 in their last 8 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Dodgers are 6-1 in their last 7 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Dodgers are 5-1 in their last 6 during game 2 of a series.
- Dodgers are 4-1 in their last 5 interleague road games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Dodgers are 4-1 in their last 5 interleague games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Dodgers are 21-9 in their last 30 overall.
- Dodgers are 21-9 in their last 30 games on grass.
- Dodgers are 20-9 in their last 29 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Dodgers are 35-16 in their last 51 games following a loss.
- Dodgers are 78-38 in their last 116 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Dodgers are 2-5 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Dodgers are 2-5 in their last 7 World Series games.
- Dodgers are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Dodgers are 7-1 in Ryu’s last 8 starts with 4 days of rest.
- Dodgers are 5-1 in Ryu’s last 6 starts.
- Dodgers are 5-1 in Ryu’s last 6 starts on grass.
- Dodgers are 4-1 in Ryu’s last 5 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Dodgers are 4-1 in Ryu’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Dodgers are 4-1 in Ryu’s last 5 interleague starts.
- Dodgers are 2-5 in Ryu’s last 7 starts during game 2 of a series.
- Dodgers are 2-7 in Ryu’s last 9 Wednesday starts.
- Dodgers are 2-12 in Ryu’s last 14 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 4-0 in their last 4 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 playoff games.
- Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 interleague games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 7-1 in their last 8 World Series home games.
- Red Sox are 13-2 in their last 15 World Series games.
- Red Sox are 14-3 in their last 17 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 4-1 in their last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Red Sox are 41-11 in their last 52 interleague games.
- Red Sox are 52-18 in their last 70 interleague home games.
- Red Sox are 45-16 in their last 61 vs. National League West.
- Red Sox are 38-14 in their last 52 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 38-14 in their last 52 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 58-23 in their last 81 games on grass.
- Red Sox are 20-8 in their last 28 interleague home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 42-17 in their last 59 games following a win.
- Red Sox are 47-19 in their last 66 home games.
- Red Sox are 50-22 in their last 72 interleague home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 65-29 in their last 94 overall.
- Red Sox are 41-19 in their last 60 interleague games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 36-17 in their last 53 Wednesday games.
- Red Sox are 1-4 in their last 5 during game 2 of a series.
- Red Sox are 5-0 in Price’s last 5 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Red Sox are 5-0 in Price’s last 5 interleague starts.
- Red Sox are 9-1 in Price’s last 10 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 8-2 in Price’s last 10 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 21-6 in Price’s last 27 home starts.
- Red Sox are 13-4 in Price’s last 17 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 25-8 in Price’s last 33 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Red Sox are 9-3 in Price’s last 12 starts during game 2 of a series.
- Red Sox are 21-7 in Price’s last 28 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 39-17 in Price’s last 56 starts.
- Red Sox are 35-16 in Price’s last 51 starts on grass.
- Over is 4-0 in Dodgers last 4 interleague games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 4-0-1 in Dodgers last 5 games following a loss.
- Over is 4-0 in Dodgers last 4 interleague road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 5-1 in Dodgers last 6 interleague games.
- Over is 5-1 in Dodgers last 6 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 5-1 in Dodgers last 6 interleague road games.
- Over is 7-2 in Dodgers last 9 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 6-2-1 in Dodgers last 9 road games.
- Under is 15-5-3 in Dodgers last 23 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Dodgers last 5 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 6-2 in Dodgers last 8 during game 2 of a series.
- Under is 5-2-2 in Dodgers last 9 Wednesday games.
- Over is 5-2-1 in Dodgers last 8 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 5-2-1 in Dodgers last 8 playoff road games.
- Under is 6-0 in Ryu’s last 6 starts during game 2 of a series.
- Under is 4-0 in Ryu’s last 4 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 7-1 in Ryu’s last 8 starts following an outing of less than 4 innings in his last appearance.
- Under is 4-1 in Ryu’s last 5 interleague starts.
- Under is 4-1 in Ryu’s last 5 road starts.
- Under is 4-1 in Ryu’s last 5 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 9-3 in Ryu’s last 12 starts with 4 days of rest.
- Under is 6-2 in Ryu’s last 8 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 19-7-2 in Ryu’s last 28 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Ryu’s last 7 Wednesday starts.
- Over is 7-0 in Red Sox last 7 interleague home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 4-0 in Red Sox last 4 Wednesday games.
- Over is 9-1-2 in Red Sox last 12 home games.
- Over is 8-1 in Red Sox last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 8-1-2 in Red Sox last 11 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 8-1 in Red Sox last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Over is 5-1 in Red Sox last 6 playoff games.
- Over is 16-4-1 in Red Sox last 21 on grass.
- Over is 4-1 in Red Sox last 5 games following a win.
- Over is 4-1 in Red Sox last 5 interleague games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 4-1 in Red Sox last 5 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 12-3 in Red Sox last 15 interleague games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 16-4-1 in Red Sox last 21 overall.
- Over is 4-1 in Red Sox last 5 during game 2 of a series.
- Over is 9-3-1 in Red Sox last 13 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 19-7 in Red Sox last 26 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 8-3-1 in Red Sox last 12 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 18-7-4 in Red Sox last 29 playoff home games.
- Over is 14-6 in Red Sox last 20 vs. National League West.
- Over is 34-16-2 in Red Sox last 52 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Over is 4-1 in Price’s last 5 starts vs. National League West.
- Under is 7-2-2 in Price’s last 11 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 6-2 in Price’s last 8 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 9-3-2 in Price’s last 14 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Under is 7-3 in Price’s last 10 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
- Dodgers are 3-8 in the last 11 meetings.
- Dodgers are 0-5 in the last 5 meetings in Boston.
