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  6. article_body => "<p>BOSTON \u2014&nbsp;The Red Sox are a runaway train, and the Dodgers are a flimsy excuse for a blockade. Can Dustin Pedroia say something funny to a security guard about Jeff Francis or something? That might be the only way this series is injected with any real drama, because the Red Sox are gearing up for an awe-inspiring sweep.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/red-sox\/highlights-red-sox-4-2-world-series-game-2-win-over-dodgers?int\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Highlights from the Sox' Game 2 win<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Sox are halfway to a World Series championship. Another formulaic win in Game 2 on Wednesday night at Fenway Park, 4-2, gave the Sox a two games to none advantage over the Dodgers heading to warmer weather in Los Angeles, where the Sox have a chance to push the Dodgers to the brink of a sweep. The teams are off Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>Here are three takeaways from Game 2. . .<\/p>\n<p><strong>1.<\/strong> David Price has checked every box now. If, somehow, his start in Game 5 of the ALCS against the Astros didn\u2019t prove to you that he\u2019s capable of handling the big playoff stage, Wednesday night must have. He pitched in the cold, his occasional circulation issues apparently under control. He threw six innings, allowed two runs on three hits, fanned five and walked three. He finished with 88 pitches. He got the win. He threw a quality start. All of this in the World Series, at Fenway Park, as a starter. Not out of the bullpen, as it was against the Astros last year. A regular old starter. The lefty\u2019s playoff turnaround is now snowballing. In what may be the final game played at Fenway Park this season, Price has turned the narrative on its ear.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2.<\/strong> Who has made more money for themselves this postseason: Nate Eovaldi, who hit 101 mph according to the Fenway gun on a frosty night; or Joe Kelly, who has thrown 7 1\/3 innings with one earned run? Kelly, who dominated a 1-2-3 seventh inning and he looks like the Kelly of early season, maybe better. He, Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier have 22 1\/3 combined innings with three earned runs allowed total, one each. Alex Cora has transitioned from Rick Porcello to Eovaldi as the started-turned-reliever-du-jour. Eovaldi, for a second straight day, had the eighth.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. <\/strong>The Red Sox\u2019 timely hitting has been mind-bogglingly good the entire postseason, and Wednesday was no different. Christian Vazquez\u2019s two-out, two-strike, none-on single that led to three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning epitomizes the team\u2019s attack, which never lacked in the regular season but has had an astronomical ability to capitalize on opportunities these playoffs. Ian Kinsler, Steve Pearce and J.D. Martinez all had two-out RBIs on Wednesday, Martinez driving home two in that fifth inning on a single to right field.<\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb76e2c06579?site_id=Dig_RSN_Bos&amp;creative_id=nbcsbos1075&amp;cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&amp;cp_1=washington&amp;cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&amp;cp_3=nbcsbos1075\">Click here<\/a>&nbsp;to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><div class=\"field-item even\" style=\"max-width: 753px; width: 100%;\">\r\n <h3 class=\"media-card__title\" style=\"width:100%; max-width:753px;\">NBC SPORTS BOSTON SCHEDULE<\/h3>\r\n <div class=\"stanzacal\" data-width=\"100%\" data-height=\"250px\"><\/div>\r\n <script src=\"https:\/\/dff2h0hbfv6w4.cloudfront.net\/scripts\/embed-stanzacal-v1.js\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script>\r\n <\/div><\/p>\n"
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Red Sox

Red Sox

BOSTON — The Red Sox are a runaway train, and the Dodgers are a flimsy excuse for a blockade. Can Dustin Pedroia say something funny to a security guard about Jeff Francis or something? That might be the only way this series is injected with any real drama, because the Red Sox are gearing up for an awe-inspiring sweep.

The Sox are halfway to a World Series championship. Another formulaic win in Game 2 on Wednesday night at Fenway Park, 4-2, gave the Sox a two games to none advantage over the Dodgers heading to warmer weather in Los Angeles, where the Sox have a chance to push the Dodgers to the brink of a sweep. The teams are off Thursday.

Here are three takeaways from Game 2. . .

1. David Price has checked every box now. If, somehow, his start in Game 5 of the ALCS against the Astros didn’t prove to you that he’s capable of handling the big playoff stage, Wednesday night must have. He pitched in the cold, his occasional circulation issues apparently under control. He threw six innings, allowed two runs on three hits, fanned five and walked three. He finished with 88 pitches. He got the win. He threw a quality start. All of this in the World Series, at Fenway Park, as a starter. Not out of the bullpen, as it was against the Astros last year. A regular old starter. The lefty’s playoff turnaround is now snowballing. In what may be the final game played at Fenway Park this season, Price has turned the narrative on its ear.

 

2. Who has made more money for themselves this postseason: Nate Eovaldi, who hit 101 mph according to the Fenway gun on a frosty night; or Joe Kelly, who has thrown 7 1/3 innings with one earned run? Kelly, who dominated a 1-2-3 seventh inning and he looks like the Kelly of early season, maybe better. He, Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier have 22 1/3 combined innings with three earned runs allowed total, one each. Alex Cora has transitioned from Rick Porcello to Eovaldi as the started-turned-reliever-du-jour. Eovaldi, for a second straight day, had the eighth.

3. The Red Sox’ timely hitting has been mind-bogglingly good the entire postseason, and Wednesday was no different. Christian Vazquez’s two-out, two-strike, none-on single that led to three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning epitomizes the team’s attack, which never lacked in the regular season but has had an astronomical ability to capitalize on opportunities these playoffs. Ian Kinsler, Steve Pearce and J.D. Martinez all had two-out RBIs on Wednesday, Martinez driving home two in that fifth inning on a single to right field.

Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.

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