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The Red Sox can go to the World Series for the first time in five years with a win over Justin Verlander (16-9, 2.52 ERA) and the Astros tonight in Houston (8:09 p.m., TBS).
About Game 5: Potential injuries aside, this is the biggest mismatch you could design between these two teams: Verlander, the Hall of Famer, at home against the Sox and a grab bag of pitchers and a closer who can’t couldn’t find the plate if the Astros gave him pictures of it. On the other hand, Houston’s in crisis mode, and you risk the wrath of your ancestors and descendants if you try to predict baseball. As someone who grudgingly picked the Astros in 5, I’ve been getting a spiritual earful.
David Price (16-7, 3.58 ERA) will make the start for Boston, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. With the day off tomorrow, I expect the Sox to take their own relative backs-against-the-wall approach, because when you can get to the World Series you take every shot.
Mitch Moreland is in at first base and batting fifth. Ian Kinsler is at second and batting sixth. Rafael Devers is at third and batting seventh. Christian Vá— you get it.
About Game 4: This happened and the Sox won, 8-6. There’s a bit more to it than that, but also not:
Let’s take a look at that game-winning catch from Andrew Benintendi with a little Dirty Water in the background pic.twitter.com/FPIkXku4DC
— Austin J. Eich (@Eich_AJ) October 18, 2018
Forecast: Adrenaline.
Today’s reading: Cody has had it with Craig Kimbrel and Matt has thoughts on Game 4 (and has also probably had it with Kimbrel).
A good tweet:
Kimbrel owes Benintendi a beer or 100.
— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) October 18, 2018
LINEUPS
ALCS Game 5 at Astros
Lineup spot | Red Sox | Astros |
---|---|---|
Lineup spot | Red Sox | Astros |
1 | Mookie Betts, RF | Alex Bregman, 3B |
2 | Andrew Benintendi, LF | George Springer, RF |
3 | J.D. Martinez, DH | José Altuve, DH |
4 | Xander Bogaerts, SS | Carlos Correa, SS |
5 | Mitch Moreland, 1B | Yuli Gurriel, 1B |
6 | Ian Kinsler, 2B | Marwin Gonález, 2B |
7 | Rafael Devers, 3B | Tony Kemp, LF |
8 | Christian Vázquez, C | Martín Maldonado, C |
9 | Jackie Bradley Jr., CF | Jake Marisnick, CF |
SP | David Price, LHP | Justin Verlander, RHP |