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The Red Sox can put away their division rival Yankees with a win tonight (8:07 p.m., TBS) in New York, one night after laying a 16-1 beating on the Bronx boys and their best pitcher.
About Game 4: Rick Porcello (17-7, 4.24 ERA) gets the opportunity of a lifetime against the same team he pitched perhaps his finest game as a professional. In early August, Porcello had an 86-pitch, complete game one-hitter against the Bombers, his high point of the season. Much like David Price, Porcello has been good when he can keep the ball in the yard; unlike Price, he clearly can manage it against the Yankees when things are going right. Will tonight be one of those times? Let’s hope so.
The venerable C.C. Sabathia (9-7, 365 ERA) starts for New York, though all hands will be on deck at the Stadium tonight, even after last night’s bullpen disaster. If Sabathia gets in trouble early, you’re bound to see virtually anyone good who’s not Luis Severino get loosening up. The Yanks will play like there’s no tomorrow, and the Sox will work to ensure that’s exactly how it goes down.
Despite some thought that last night’s lineup should return for a encore, Alex Cora is rolling out the Game 1 slate again — mostly. Ian Kinsler’s at second and Eduardo Núñez at third but, curiously, Porcello’s more or less personal catcher, Sandy León, is on the bench in favor of Christian Vázquez, who bats ninth.
About Game 4: The Sox won 16-1. Brock Holt hit for the first cycle in postseason history. It was perfect.
Forecast: It’s 74 degrees, misty and humid in New York. More good weather for October.
Today’s reading: Get diggin’ on Matt’s postgame thoughts.
A good tweet:
The only thing that can cool down Brock Holt. pic.twitter.com/eLwrNj7uNY
— MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) October 9, 2018
LINEUPS
ALDS Game 4 at Yankees
Lineup spot | Red Sox | Yankees |
---|---|---|
Lineup spot | Red Sox | Yankees |
1 | Mooke Betts, RF | Aaron Hicks, CF |
2 | Andrew Benintendi. LF | Aaron Judge, RF |
3 | Steve Pearce, 1B | Didi Gregorius, SS |
4 | J.D. Martinez, DH | Giancarlo Stanton, DH |
5 | Xander Bogaerts, SS | Luke Voit, 1B |
6 | Ian Kinsler, 2B | Neil Walker, 3B |
7 | Eduardo Núñez, 3B | Gary Sánchez, C |
8 | Jackie Bradley Jr., CF | Gleyber Torres, 2B |
9 | Christian Vázquez, C | Brett Gardner, LF |
SP | Rick Porcello, RHP | C.C. Sabathia, LHP |