World Series 2018: Red Sox vs. Dodgers Live Game 5 Updates

Oct. 28, 2018

Stay here for live inning-by-inning scores, updates and analysis from Game 5 of the 2018 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Baseball’s Defensive Dance: How the Red Sox and Dodgers use the infield shift.

How to watch: Fox has the broadcast at 8 p.m. Eastern, but you can stream the game here.

After a thrilling win on Saturday, the Boston Red Sox will try to finish off the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 and clinch the team’s fourth World Series title in 15 years. Should they fail, this series will head back to Boston for Games 6 and 7.

Dodgers Starting Lineup

1. David Freese, 1B

2. Justin Turner, 3B

3. Enrique Hernandez, CF

4. Manny Machado, SS

5. Max Muncy, 2B

6. Yasiel Puig, RF

7. Chris Taylor, LF

8. Austin Barnes, C

9. Clayton Kershaw, P

Ryan Madson of the Dodgers has pitched in all four games of the World Series so far. This is the fourth World Series appearance of Madson’s career, and while his 3.86 E.R.A. is not all that far below the 2.45 he put up in his first three appearances, it has come with the ugly asterisk of his having allowed all seven runners he has inherited to score.

Red Sox Starting Lineup

1. Mookie Betts, CF

2. Andrew Benintendi, LF

3. Steve Pearce, 1B

4. J.D. Martinez, RF

5. Xander Bogaerts, SS

6. Brock Holt, 2B

7. Rafael Devers, 3B

8. Christian Vazquez, C

9. David Price, P

Mookie Betts is considered the favorite for the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award after he led the majors in batting average, slugging percentage and runs. The struggling No. 3 hitter is only leading Boston in two categories in the World Series: stolen bases (at least he got people a free taco) and strikeouts.

World Series Game 5 Top Story Lines

Should the Red Sox win, they will still trail the Yankees by 18 World Series titles, but they will have had a slightly higher success rate once they reach the Fall Classic. The Yankees have won 27 titles in 40 trips to the World Series, for a .675 winning percentage, while Boston would have won nine of 13 trips, giving them a .692 winning percentage.
Since the 2-3-2 format of the World Series started in 1925 — they went away from it for two years during World War II — 35 teams have taken a 3-1 lead in the Series, and 29 went on to win. The only teams to overcome the deficit to win were the 2016 Chicago Cubs, 1985 Kansas City Royals, 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates, 1968 Detroit Tigers, 1958 Yankees, and 1925 Pirates.
David Price started (and won) Game 2, served as one of several relievers in Game 3 and will surprisingly start Game 5 for Boston. While Price has not been quite as sharp in his two World Series appearances as he was in Game 5 of the A.L.C.S., he has continued to rewrite his own playoff history, and Alex Cora apparently believes he is a better option than Chris Sale, who would likely start a Game 6 if one were needed.
Clayton Kershaw, who like Price had a poor postseason reputation coming into this season — he had actually mixed in considerably more success than Price — is in the position to either keep his team’s World Series hopes alive with a win, or set himself up for even more second-guessing should he lose for the second time in this Series, with this one ending his team’s season.
Justin Turner continues to be a postseason hitting machine. His eight hits in this World Series lead all batters and he is up to 20 hits in 15 postseason games a year after getting 16 in 15 games. The only thing missing is his power. His one home run and .406 slugging percentage are well below last year’s four home runs and .536 slugging.
It is a huge sports day in Los Angeles. For the first time in U.S. sports history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, all five major sports will play in one county on the same day. The Kings hosted the Rangers (N.H.L.); the Rams hosted the Green Bay Packers (N.F.L.); the Galaxy hosted the Houston Dynamo (M.L.S.); the Dodgers will host the Red Sox; and the Clippers will host the Washington Wizards (N.B.A.).
Boston has eliminated traditional pitching roles in this postseason, with starters regularly appearing in relief. Los Angeles, meanwhile, has had a far more typical approach. But while the Red Sox have made it clear that Chris Sale and Rick Porcello could both potentially appear in relief during Game 5 (and it would surprise no one if Nathan Eovaldi did the same), it is unclear if Los Angeles would be willing to use Walker Buehler the same way. All hands are typically on deck in an elimination game, so going to the young right-hander, who was so strong in Game 3, might be a good fallback option if Kershaw does not have his best stuff.

Benjamin Hoffman is a senior staff editor and regular contributor to the Keeping Score column in sports. He joined The Times in 2005. @BenHoffmanNYT • Facebook