World Series: BoSox Blow Up Bums' Bullpen, Blow by Dodgers in Game 4

Something amazing's happening at Dodger Stadium this month:

• Fans are actually showing up before the second inning, and
• Fans are actually staying until the game's end.

Here's something not so amazing: So are the Boston Red Sox.

 

Which is apparently Boston's own little nickname for the yard at Chavez Ravine.

Maybe it took them around 24 innings -- 18 of them in Game 3 -- to get settled in, but after that, they've been the Red Sox that won 108 games in the regular season.

 

If the World Series hadn't turned already, it definitely did when Boston got into the LA bullpen in Game 4's seventh inning, after Yasiel Puig launched this 3-run bomb in the sixth:

 

Lefty Rich Hill had handcuffed Alex Cora's lineup until then, but after dude opened the frame by walking Xander Bogaerts and fanning Eduardo Núñez, Dodger manager Dave Roberts trotted to the mound.

That's where accounts get a little hazy.

 

No lie.

• Hill said before the inning began, he approached Roberts and mentioned the skip should keep an eye on him for signs of fatigue.
• Hill claims he didn't unequivocally say that was a request to pull him.
• Roberts' account is that he was on alert to make a change.
• Hill said he was so accustomed to being pulled when he saw Roberts heading to the mound that he reflexively gave him the ball and walked to the dugout.
• Roberts said he hadn't made a decision to go to the pen, but when he got the ball, that settled that.

 

How does such a pivotal moment in a World Series get so messed up?

 

Guess so.

It was then followed by Roberts' fog of thinking.

This hasn't exactly been reliever Ryan Madson's time to shine. Dude's allowed every runner he's inherited in the Series to score -- five of five coming into this appearance -- but Roberts apparently felt this game would be different.

 

 

 

This, of course, brought on the overused Kenley Jansen, who's had a bad habit lately of serving up gopher balls.

Unheralded hero Steve Pearce was fine with that.

 

The 9-6 final was academic after that, for all intents and purposes.

Boston now holds a 3-1 Series lead.

 

The BoSox have their act together.

The Dodgers don't.