Gamethread: Dodgers at Red Sox, World Series Game 2

Help us, Hyun-Jin Ryu, you’re our best hope for a long Fall Classic

Los Angeles Dodgers at Boston Red Sox, World Series Game 2 (7:09 CT, FOX)

So, last night’s preordained classic pitcher’s duel between Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale didn’t quite pan out, as both starters were bounced after four innings. For all the bullpenning chatter out there, when you think about it, the most appropriate commentary on the state of baseball pitching today is a World Series Game 1 matching the top two southpaws in the game, and both aces not hanging in the game long enough to qualify for a win. (Another nod to the state of baseball today? Even in getting “rocked,” both starters still managed to secure one-half — 12 of 24 — of their outs by strikeout. Baseball fever ... catch it!)

Tonight, Hyun-Jin Ryu throws for the Dodgers, who are doubtlessly hoping for a better effort than Kershaw’s five earned over four innings (no help from his defense, I know, I know). So, the good news, for those of us rooting for a long World Series: Ryu had a 1.97 ERA this season. The bad? Well, he seems to reserve his best stuff for Chavez Ravine, as he had an 8.59 ERA over two starts (7 ¹⁄₃ innings) in Milwaukee during the NLCS.

Of course, Boston should feel no more secure in their starter’s offerings tonight, unless you think a lifetime of postseason struggles for David Price were vanquished in a single, Game 5 gem to clinch the ALCS in Houston. Even with his clincher masterpiece, Price is 1-1 with a 5.11 ERA this postseason.

So if last night was a bit of a 53°, 25 mph, wind-howl beerleaguer ballgame, what sort of slugfest at Fenway are we in for tonight?

LINEUPS

I’m not sure why the Dodgers are rolling out Brian Dozier at leadoff in the first two games of the series. I’m thinking Chris Taylor, but that’s why I’m in the cheap seats ... uh, check that that: no seats.

Boston’s rotisserie of bad catchers spins again for Game 2, where Christian Vázquez gets the call behind the dish.