The 2018 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers begins with a heavyweight pitching matchup.Left-handed pitchers
Chris Sale and Clayton Kershaw will go head-to-head in Tuesday's opener at
Fenway Park.Boston is attempting to finish off an incredible season
Matt Kemp Jersey , as it earned home-field advantage in the World Series by way of a 108-54 regular-season record.Los Angeles has been a
championship-caliber team for the last few years, but it's still in search of
ending its 30-year championship drought.World Series Game 1 InformationStart
Time:8:09 p.m. ETTV:FoxLive Stream:Fox Sports Go or Fox Sports App.Aces Dueling
in World Series OpenerGame 1 should be a showcase of two of the best arms in
baseball.If they are their normal selves on the mound, Sale and Kershaw should
be locked into a pitching duel for the ages.Sale enters as the fresher of the
two pitchers, as he last took the mound for Game 1 of the ALCS against the
Houston Astros.In three career Game 1 starts, Sale has given up 11 earned runs,
seven of which came in his first postseason start in the 2017 ALDS against
Houston.Elise Amendola/Associated PressAlthough it's a small sample size because
he's spent his career in the American League, Sale hasn't performed well against
the Dodgers, as he's given up seven earned runs on nine hits in six
innings.However, Sale can be tough to hit inside Fenway Park, as he is 12-6 with
a 2.83 ERA and 235 strikeouts at his home stadium.Game 1 marks the 10th time
Kershaw's kicked off a series for the Dodgers, and he'll be looking to replicate
his performance from the World Series opener a year ago.Matt Slocum/Associated
PressKershaw tossed seven superb innings to hand the Dodgers an early advantage
in the World Series against Houston.Kershaw has even less familiarity with his
opponent than Sale, as Tuesday marks the first time he'll toe the rubber at
Fenway Park.Based off what we expect from the two aces
Rich Hill Jersey , Game 1 will be tight with few runners reaching scoring position, which means it will most likely come down to the bullpens once Sale
and Kershaw are finished their respective outings. How Will Roberts Align
Dodgers Order?Dodgers manager Dave Roberts toyed with his lineup throughout the
NLCS victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in order to find the best combination
possible.Roberts used four different leadoff hitters in the final four games of
the NLCS, and given the matchups ahead in the World Series, he'll tinker with
his order more.The Dodgers are expected to use a lineup dominated by
right-handed hitters with Sale on the mound, which means David Freese and Matt
Kemp will start Game 1.However, the inclusion of one right-handed hitter might
be Roberts' toughest decision to make, as Yasiel Puig is a .250 hitter versus
left-handed pitching, but he's coming off a three-hit performance in Game 7 of
the NLCS.Jeff Roberson/Associated PressThe designated-hitter role gives Roberts
some flexibility in the first two games, which opens up the possibility for Puig
to occupy an outfield position.The Dodgers also have more positional flexibility
than the Red Sox, as Chris Taylor and Cody Bellinger can be aligned in the
infield or outfield.For Game 1, Roberts should let Taylor lead off with Justin
Turner and Freese directly beneath him in the order.The Dodgers manager will
also find a way to put Puig in the bottom third of the lineup because of his hot
bat.Even though the Dodgers face left-hander David Price in Game 2, Roberts
could come out with a different lineup depending on how Game 1 goes. Follow Joe
on Twitter
http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-alex-wood-jersey , JTansey90.Statistics obtained fromBaseball Reference. The Milwaukee Brewers and
Los Angeles Dodgers asserted their dominance on the first day of play in the
NLDS.Now the challenge for the home sides in Friday's Game 2s is to bank off the
momentum gained from Game 1 and take a 2-0 series lead into Colorado and
Atlanta, respectively.The Dodgers paved the easier path to victory Thursday, as
they shutout the Braves at Dodger Stadium to set Clayton Kershaw up for success
Friday.Milwaukee's peculiar bullpen strategy ended up working, but the Brewers
needed 10 innings to dispense of the Rockies.The Brewers are expected to opt for
a more conventional route with their pitching in Game 2 at Miller Park while
their lineup tries to stay hot against a familiar foe. Friday NLDS ScheduleGame
2:Colorado at Milwaukee (4:15 p.m. ET, FS1)Game 2:Atlanta at Los Angeles (9:37
p.m. ET, FS1)Both games can be live-streamed on Fox Sports Go or the Fox Sports
app.Brewers Looking For More Success Against AndersonTyler Anderson's August 4
start against the Brewers was one of his worst outings in the second half of the
season.The left-handed starter was roughed up during a four-inning stintas the
Brewers put up seven runs on seven hits.Jae C. Hong/Associated PressSix of those
runs were scored in the first inning, as the top of the Milwaukee order jumped
on Anderson, with Travis Shaw's grand slam highlighting the offensive
outburst.In Thursday's Game 1, Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun recorded two hits
each out of the No. 2 and No. 3 positions in the order.Yelich, who should be the
National League MVP, continued his tear at the plate with a three-run home run
in the third inning.Jeff Roberson/Associated PressIf the top third of the order
attains the same level of success it had against Anderson in August and in Game
1, the Brewers will push across a few runs in the opening innings.From the
Rockies' perspective
Starlin Castro Jersey , they're hoping to get similar results out of Anderson as they did in September, as he allowed four earned runs in his last
three regular-season starts.In his final start before the postseason, Anderson
tossed 7.2 innings of shutout ball against the Washington Nationals.Jhoulys
Chacin, who pitched for the Rockies at the start of his career, takes the mound
for the Brewers in Game 2 after giving up one hit and one earned run in the NL
Central tiebreaker against the Chicago Cubs Monday.Chacin's lone regular-season
start against the Rockies came May 10, when he gave up four hits and two earned
runs in 5.1 innings.In his last five starts, Chacin's conceded three runs or
fewer, and his performance Monday suggests he'll produce another efficient
outing.If Anderson and Chacin stay true to their recent form, a pitcher's duel
will break out in Milwaukee, but it's hard to bet against the Brewers coming up
with a few big hitsas they did in Game 1. Dodgers Trusting Kershaw To Earn
Commanding LeadThe Dodgers possess an embarrassment of riches on the mound.After
Hyun-Jin Ryu tossed seven shutout innings in Game 1, the Dodgers trot out
Clayton Kershaw to the bump for Game 2.During the Dodgers' run to the World
Series a year ago, Kershaw corrected the negative narrative surrounding his
postseason performance.Kershaw won three of his first four postseason starts in
2017
http://www.marlinsfanproshop.com/authentic-justin-bour-jersey , and in those victories, he conceded six earned runs over 19.1 innings.Ross D.
Franklin/Associated PressThe southpaw has also achieved plenty of success
against Atlanta in his career, as he boasts a 4-0 record and 1.43 ERA in 10
starts versus the Braves.There's a good chance Kershaw spends as long as Ryu on
the mound in Game 2, as he's lasted at least six innings in all but one of his
starts since July.The one glimmer of hope the Braves have entering Game 2 comes
from the amount of home runs Kershaw has given up over the last month.Six of the
17 home runs Kershaw conceded during the regular season came in September, but
he didn't give up a home run as one of his five earned runs conceded Saturday
against Arizona.If the Braves can take advantage of a mistake or two by Kershaw
early in Game 2, they could provide themselves with a needed confidence boost on
the road.Even if the Braves rough up Kershaw for a run or two, their pitching
staff must keep the Dodgers' offense at bay, which is no easy task.Expect Game 2
at Dodger Stadium to be more competitive than Game 1, but the Dodgers will find
a way to pull away in the middle innings, as the middle of their order comes up
with a few run-scoring hits in clutch situations.Follow Joe on Twitter,
JTansey90Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference
