World Series: Breaking David Price's escape work in the fourth round of the second match

BOSTON – After his brilliant performance in the fifth game of ALCS last week, the table was set for another post-season crisis by David Price in the second game of the World Series on Wednesday night. Price started the second game with three clear heats before the Dodgers completed the goals with no setback in the fourth inning. Two singles and a walk made the deal.

In the past, this fourth inning would have escaped Price's control and would have become another black mark on his playoff record. The numbers, even with ALCS Game 5, are ugly. Fifty games allowed in 85 2/3 in the playoffs for an ERA of 5.04. After those two singles and the fourth inning, it seemed like another round in the playoffs was about to get away from Price.

Instead, Price managed to limit the damage and limit the Dodgers to two points. On average, teams score 2.29 points after loading goals without outs, but that's the league average. This is not the hope of a very good attack from the Dodgers at Fenway Park, the striker-striker, where the usual fly balls in the left field tend to turn into extra-base touches.

"It was very important," said Price about damage control in the fourth. "I just told myself to keep throwing, I did a lot of good throws in that heat, it was a tough run, she could have quickly lost control." One of my Achilles' heels – especially in the playoffs and even in the regular season, it's a big run – being able to stop at two here … it was huge for us. "

I do not think it's an exaggeration to say that the fourth inning was the most important round of the game. The Dodgers have had the opportunity not only to break the game, but also to put Price offside – Joe Kelly has started warming up four batters in the frame – and pushing Boston's boundaries. That did not happen Let's describe how Price avoided a catastrophic heat and kept the Red Sox in the game.

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You must create the jam before you can escape! David Freese led the way in saying that the Gold Glover Mookie Betts had almost squatted in the dive, but alas, he dropped for the first shot of the Dodgers game. Manny Machado then led a single in the first throw to center to send Freese to second base.

Chris Taylor's six-step walk to charge the bases was a wonderful fight. This at-bat was when I thought that Price might be in trouble. He came back to the formation a second time and made several quality launches on the edge of the area, but Taylor did not bite. The locations of the grounds:

Chris Taylor worked with David Price for a six-shot batting fight in the fourth inning.

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Price worked all those right-handed hitters as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had every chance to play in the match, which Taylor did not pursue, and he deserved the goal of charging goals without any outs. The Dodgers were starting to put Price in balance and sacking those lands. They were in business.

Kemp Gifts

I'm not sure anything that spoils the morale of the fans anymore than a batter sways at the first pitch after the previous batter has walked to charge the goals. I totally understand. The thrower has just given a free pass, why swing to the first pitch without first seeing if he is ready to offer you another free baseball player? Especially with the bases loaded.

It makes sense, but having said that, the first pitch is often the best pitch in a situation like that. The thrower has just walked with a guy to charge the goals and he does not want to fall behind another batter. There is a good chance that the first pitch is a fastball near the area, perhaps even in the center. The price did not give a quick ball to Kemp. He threw a change down and away.

It is a brave ground at this place. Forget the plate change and it's a fast stick training ball. The easy call would have been a quick ball on the inside half, near Kemp's hands. Price instead instead to the front of the change for a routine ball in the middle of the field. Yes, a round has scored on the game, but once the bases are loaded without outs, the caster is in damage control mode. Price happily swapped his stroke against a goal and prevented Kemp from causing real damage.

Hernandez hits

Enrique Hernandez's match with the runners in first and second place and two outs was similar to that of Taylor on steroids. Price showed him everything. Fastballs in, fastballs away, fastball up, changeups down … he threw the kitchen sink. The first eight courts of the attack were scored by a ball, called a shot, ball, shot, ball, foul, foul, foul.

The first two balls have been modified below the zone. Price dominated the Astros in the fifth match of the ALCS thanks to his change and although the pitch was not as sharp on Wednesday night, he had always bent down to get out. These two changes were in the area and Hernandez prevented them. The third foul was a fast high ball. Price followed with another fastball and Hernandez swayed to the goal.

After following these successive modifications with a raised heater, I expected that Price would come back to the modification. It's a classic baseball strategy. Install something low with something high, preferably at a different speed. It's a classic strategy because it works, still to this day. Rather than going back to this change, Price doubled the price of heating and, based on Hernandez's swing, he also expected a change. He was well behind 93 mph.

In the ninth inning of the attack, David Price threw a fast ball from Enrique Hernandez.

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This clash was a major battle that really turned the heat in favor of Price. If Hernandez reaches, even when walking, the bases are loaded again. Instead, Hernandez withdrew and the gathering of the Dodgers was suddenly hanging on a wire. Price survived him with an excellent sequence that changes the speed and level of the eyes.

Puig cash

It was not quite a back-breaker, but it was a disappointment. Price did a good job of attacking Hernandez for the second outing, then he left a quick shot at the plate to Yasiel Puig, who brought him back to the center to bring home the race and give a lead of 2-1 to his team.

The price did not really give in to Puig. Receiver Christian Vazquez wanted a fast ball inside – Price was breaking right-handers inside all night – and she was more of a troller. It was a mistake. Puig played well and did what a big hitter should do with such a mistake.

Price submerged Barnes

Puig's single gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead and put the riders in the bends with two outs for batting number 9 Austin Barnes. With Kelly warmed up intentionally in the office, I had the impression that Barnes was going to be the last hitter of Price's – he was not successful. Programming was about to turn around for the third time.

Kelly has never been necessary. Price has completely overwhelmed Barnes for the removal of the stick from three lengths and innings. First foul, second throw called hit, third throw and miss. End of the round. Look at this:

David Prices forced Austin Barnes to end the fourth inning.

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It was a good old fashionable country. Three fastballs in the area at Barnes, who was late with his two swings. Barnes is a .246 / .368 / .426 drummer on a left-handed career – 10 of his 12 career homerands came against left-handed – so if Price had made a mistake, he could have paid. Instead, it was the fastball, fastball, fastball, stick over it. It was a veteran pitcher who was doing what he had to do against the number 9 batter to end a tough run.

At the start of round four, the Red Sox had a 61.6% chance of winning the second match based on the base winning probability. After the Dodgers loaded the bases without any exit, it was down 41.4%. The Dodgers had not scored in the heat yet, but the match was already in the balance. Loaded bases without outs in the fourth inning? It could become messy quickly. And it could have been with Price on the mound in the past years.

Instead, Price was able to limit damage to two points by keeping Kemp and Hernandez out of balance, and by dominating a batter, he should dominate Barnes. Puig's match was the only flagrant mistake when the first three batters reached the base. Also, this single from Puig? It was the last baserunner of the Dodgers of the night. The last 16 men they sent to the plate were eliminated. Price closed this fourth round, launched two more rounds, and the pen took from there to close the head 4-2.

"I'm very proud of him, very happy for him to be able to continue throwing," said Alex Cora, Red Sox coach. "As he said last time, there will be no question during the spring training about David Price in October, he beat the Houston Astros in Houston. beat the Dodgers here at Fenway Park.I am happy about that because he deserves it. "