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| (Getty Images) |
Red Sox manager
Alex Cora should stop by on the way home from tonight's game and buy a PowerBall ticket. His brilliant post-season moves continued in
Game One of the World Series—pinch-hitting
Eduardo Nunez in a tight, one-run game in the seventh inning. All Nunez did was line a low inside breaking ball into the Monster Seats for a three-run home run that
stretched the lead to 8-4—the eventual winning score. Boston took the early 2-0 lead in the first-inning after
Mookie Betts led off the game with a single, and (after a "Taco" steal by Betts),
Andrew Benintedni drove him in with one of his
four hits on the night. In fact, Benintendi became the first player since 1954 to collect four hits in his World Series debut.
J.D. Martinez followed with an RBI single to knock in Benintendi (who had taken second on a ill-advised throw home by
Yasiel Puig). After the Dodgers tied the game at 2-2, a see-saw battle ensued before Nunez put the dagger in for good. Nunez was replacing 21-year-old
Rafael Devers—who earlier had delivered a two-out RBI single. Martinez got his second RBI on a double to the deepest part of center-field—off the garage doors. Starter
Chris Sale went only four-plus innings—giving up three earned runs. The Sox bullpen went five innings—giving up just two hits and one run. The win puts Boston in an enviable position, since over 80% of the last twenty
Game One winners have gone on to take the World Series.
