Boston @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 27, 2018 ) Boston 9, LA Dodgers 6

The Boston Red Sox will send David Price to the mound with a chance to clinch their fourth World Series title in 15 years when they visit the Los Angeles Dodgers for Game 5 on Sunday. The Red Sox rebounded from a demoralizing 18-inning loss and battled back from a four-run deficit in Game 4 for an inspiring 9-6 victory that put them on the brink of their first championship since 2013.

“This team has a lot of fight and it was great to see how we responded,” Boston's Steve Pearce, who tied the game with a solo homer off Kenley Jansen in the eighth inning and broke it open with a three-run double in the ninth, said during a television interview. Pearce, Rafael Devers and Mitch Moreland had the biggest hits in Game 4 for the Red Sox, and three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw will try to cool off Boston’s bats when he takes the mound on Sunday as the Dodgers attempt to stay alive and send the series back to Fenway Park. Yasiel Puig launched a three-run homer to give Los Angeles a 4-0 lead after six innings on Saturday, but its normally reliable bullpen imploded to put their championship dreams on life support. “We’re in a situation where it’s do or die. Now we have to bow are necks and win a game,” Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts told reporters. “It’s one at a time. … Our guys are not done. We’ve got our best going (Sunday).”

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH David Price (2-1, 4.26 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (2-2, 3.91)

Price threw 13 pitches in relief during Friday’s Game 3 and was up in the bullpen Saturday, but manager Alex Cora decided to go with the former Cy Young Award winner and save ace Chris Sale for Game 6 if needed. Price has been outstanding in his last two starts of the postseason, throwing six scoreless innings against Houston to end the American League Championship Series and limiting the Dodgers to two runs and three hits over six frames in Game 2. Manny Machado has hit five career homers against Price and went 1-for-3 against him on Wednesday.

Kershaw has registered two brilliant performances in the postseason at home, but he did not fare well in Game 1 on Tuesday in Boston as he permitted five runs on seven hits and three walks in four frames. The 30-year-old Texan has given up one run on five hits and two walks with 12 strikeouts in 15 innings at Los Angeles during the playoffs. Andrew Benintendi and J.D. Martinez each recorded two hits in Game 1 against Kershaw, who has served up one homer in 23 postseason innings after giving up 17 in 26 games during the regular season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Los Angeles 3B Justin Turner recorded three hits and a walk Saturday and is 8-for-21 in the World Series.

2. Moreland was 0-for-7 with four strikeouts in the series before his pinch-hit three-run homer in the seventh inning on Saturday.

3. The Red Sox are 6-1 while outscoring opponents 51-22 on the road this postseason.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 4, Dodgers 3