Game 1 of The World Series Between The Red Sox and The Dodgers

Was two days ago and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Let’s get the ball rolling…

After a 6-day hiatus, we’re back with another installment of Tweets I Didn’t Tweet where we explore a bunch of tweets that I didn’t tweet. Brilliant, right? It allows me to react to things in “real time,” but only a day later so I can shamelessly refine everything in an attempt to make myself sound smarter.

Pregame

• We’re roughly an hour away from the first pitch and my TV has reverted to that Emergency Alert System screen three times already. I guess there’s a tornado in the area and they want everyone to “remain indoors.” Like, the Red Sox are entering Game 1 of the World Series on a Tuesday night. No one’s going anywhere, dude. In fact, this is probably the most “prepared” this community’s been for a tornado since last year’s Super Bowl.
• The PA announcer just introduced the Dodgers and you can hear Fenway from Connecticut right now. Awesome moment when Dave Roberts was introduced first. All those boos transitioned to applause INSTANTLY. It was like when there’s a shitload of contact downfield and you’re screaming at your TV over the no-call, but then the cameras shoot over to some hero line judge who chucked a flag for roughing the passer. Such an immediate emotional swing.
• James Taylor just sang the National Anthem and I was devastated when he didn’t transition into an encore performance of his SMASH hit, “Angels of Fenway.” If you’re unfamiliar, than you’ve been doing things wrong. It’s basically a song detailing the various misfortunes of being a Red Sox fan—86-year curses, the Yankees payroll, ordering hot dogs at Fenway—a few months removed from the Boston Red Sox 3rd World Series title in a decade. Wild stuff.

1st Inning

• Sale looks convincing as he strikes out the first two batters. Strictly speaking, he hasn’t been the guy we saw prior to his DL stint in August, but not living up to a 1.97 ERA and nearly 14 strikeouts per nine innings doesn’t necessarily make you a bum. That said, he seems like he has his stuff, and more importantly, he’s oozing more of that “shut up and get in the box” demeanor fans in this city gravitate to.
• As I mentioned in my previous blog, Taco Bell’s running this promotion where they’ll pump out free tacos on November 1st if someone steals a base in the World Series. Well, it didn’t take long as Betts singles and steals second to kick off the bottom of the first. If you put your ear to the ground, you can hear the cries of every drive thru attendant in America calling their manager to inform them they’ll have food poisoning next Thursday.
• Benny singles to bring Betts in and JD returns the favor with an RBI single of his own. I can’t lie, I was slightly nervous about how Martinez would respond this October. The guy’s been nothing short of a rock since he signed here but in Boston, your legacy’s predicated on what you do in the postseason and he’s answered the bell in a big way.

2nd Inning

• Sales notches another quick punch out to start the inning but Matt Kemp fights off a couple payoff pitches before launching one into the Monster Seats the very next at-bat. I’m not worried, though. I chalk that up to Sale missing his spot against a veteran with some pop. Shit happens.

3rd Inning

• Sale gives up three straight singles with the last one coming off the bat of Machado to tie things up at 2. Not to brag, but I saw that coming a mile away and even texted my buddies as Machado stepped in the box. He’s the clear villain in this series and, although I’m confident he won’t torch this team, you just know he’s going to scrap together a few plays that drop your head.
• Martinez hammers a double to score Pearce, distancing him even further from the likes of Carl Crawford, who I’m pretty sure is still streaming his monthly Netflix subscription on John Henry’s dime.

5th Inning

• Sale walks Dozier to open things up and Cora’s seen enough. Maybe it’s his pace, but there’s something about Sale where I never realize the severity of his pitch count until he’s yanked. The guy threw about 5,000 pitches before the 4th for God’s sake.
• Barnes closes things up, but not before Machado grounds out to extend Dozier and claim his second game-tying RBI in the game. Hell of a game so far.
• Bogey grounds out to score Betts; Devers follows it up with a single to drive home Benny and I think I’m officially out on the whole “Kershaw is the best pitcher of this generation” argument. He’s reached that Peyton Manning-level of postseason incompetence and I would suggest that puts him in rarified air but I’m assuming he’d choke on that too.

6th Inning

• Nothing happening offensively for either team but I’d remiss if I didn’t touch on Joe Kelly. In my previous blog, I mentioned how badly I want him to be a big game arm and he looked scary good in that outing. The movement on his changeup is ruthless; contrast that with a triple-digit fastball and you have yourself a weapon.

7th Inning

• Brasier—who’s most likely been the most dominant bullpen arm in baseball this October—gets credited with Machado’s third ribbie of the night and you’re damn right I’m nervous. The Red Sox still have a one-run lead but this bullpen is due for an implosion.
• Núñez pinch hits for Devers with two men on and sends the second pitch he sees into Rhode Island. Fenway’s a zoo right now but I’m more astonished by the decision than anything else. Not to discredit Cora’s baseball acumen, but some performances defy managerial credit. This guy’s been on an absolute HEATER the last couple weeks and I’m just waiting for the crystal ball to fall out of his back pocket during a mound visit. I mean, if I’m Cora and the Red Sox pull this off in LA, I’m forgoing the team flight and punching a ticket to Vegas out of LAX.

8th Inning

• Eovaldi enters in relief and retires the side before I can even grab another beer from the fridge. All anyone wanted to talk about in August was that the Red Sox didn’t do enough at the deadline but that argument’s treading water right now. If I told you Nathan Eovaldi would be the horse of a postseason rotation that boasts three former Cy Young winners, you would’ve drug tested me.

9th Inning

• Kimbrel’s been a source of palpitations all postseason but his dick was DRAGGING throughout that inning. I’m aware it was a 4-run game but it seems like he’s found something. I guess Eric Gagne—a Dodger legend, by the way—contacted Cora to let him know Kimbrel was tipping his pitches; since then, he’s looked untouchable. Just further proof that Canadians are incredibly nice people, eh…

Joey Boats (@joey_boats)