Dave Roberts rubs 3-0 lead in Yankees’ face with response about 2004 Red Sox

Twenty years after he won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts invoked his former team in his Game 3 presser.

LA is one game from sweeping the Yankees in the first World Series the two clubs have played against each other since 1981. In 2004, the Yankees were famously on the other side of a 3-0 deficit in the ALCS, and a stolen base by Roberts in Game 4 of the series was the start of Boston's upswing.

Just hours before Roberts began the Sox's rally that eventually led to an ALCS and World Series win, 2004 playoff icon Kevin Millar said, "don't let us win today." New York is in Boston's position now, and Roberts recalled that moment.

"From the other side, I just think that we have got to stay focused, stay urgent, I think offensively. . . we left a lot of runs out there tonight," Roberts said. "There's just got to be urgency. I don't want to let these guys up for air."

Dave Roberts remembers his days as a Red Sox from the opposite side of a 3-0 deficit

Roberts is right — if his squad gives the Yankees an inch, they could take a mile. Gleyber Torres, Juan Soto, Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Volpe were dangerous through the ALDS and CS, and Aaron Judge could be just one swing away from breaking out of his slump.

LA only has three starting pitchers available for the World Series and they've been short on arms all postseason. The Dodgers are slated to throw a bullpen game on Oct. 29, which could be the perfect opportunity for the Yankees' offense to wake up.

The Dodgers have developed a reputation as playoff chokers. They win the National League West and make the playoffs nearly every year, but early eliminations have become their story in recent seasons. LA can squash that reputation by sweeping the Yankees, which could be a tall order in a bullpen game, but the Dodgers' relievers have been lights-out before.

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