Boston’s superstar pitcher, Chris Sale, played a huge motivational role in last nights Game Four win, which saw the Red Sox take a 3-1 World Series lead.
Chris Sale, renown for his sensational slider and his ability to strikeout any opponent he faces, showed another side of him in Saturday’s fourth game of the World Series. He showed that his abilities to help this Boston Red Sox team clinch their ninth world championship lay beyond his pitching skills.
Following another pitch-dominant game, which looked like it might last longer than nine innings like Friday’s seven-hour affair, the Dodgers gained the momentum to potentially level up the series. Los Angeles scored 4 runs in the home end of the 6th inning, which felt like far more than four, as any run could’ve won this pitching duel. Dodgers’ Rich Hill and Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez battled it out before Rodriguez was withdrawn after conceding the four runs in the 6th, consisting of a 3-run homer from Yasiel Puig, which looked like it would level this series up.
However, Sale was the catalyst to turn this around for Boston. He could be seen telling his teammates in the dugout that what was happening wasn’t on. The Sox knew that their hitting display was far and away from what they’re capable of, but Sale’s motivation and his underlining of this, and the importance of this game, charged a spark in the line up and what followed will live with Red Sox fans for a long time.
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Boston’s line up rallied in the 7th to bring the momentum in the series back to where it should be. After Xander Bogaerts and Brock Holt were able to give the Red Sox base runners, left-handed first baseman Mitch Moreland came to the plate to pinch-hit in the pitcher spot and what a decision it was to bring Moreland up in this at bat. The Gold Glove nominee homered to right field, cutting the Dodger lead to just the one score.
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Sale’s voice echoed in the dugout and inspired the Sox to carry this on. Steve Pearce hit a solo home run in the eighth. Rafael Devers batted in Holt in the ninth, before Pearce recorded 3 more RBI and Bogaerts produced another. The Dodgers scored 2 runs in the bottom of the ninth, but the Red Sox prevailed 9-6 after a come from behind win for the ages. Sale’s impact won’t be forgotten any time in the near future.
Comparisons have been drawn between Sale’s firing up of his teammates and the great David Ortiz, who did something similar in Game Four of the 2013 World Series, which the Sox would go on to win. The difference here is that Sale wasn’t even playing last night, and with David Price scheduled to start Game Five, Sale’s contributions to last night win will be as important as another top pitching performance.
He’s already adored by teammates and fans, alike, however, this puts Sale in a very important place in Sox fans’ hearts. He’s been a huge part of this Sox team’s success this season, and over his time in Boston, as a whole. What he did last night was just as important as his role from the mound.