LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):5:50 p.m.Nobody has a hit through two innings in Game 3 of the World Series on a postcard-perfect night at Dodger Stadium.J.D. Martinez grounded out to second leading off the second, but even being in the lineup was a success for the Boston slugger. The major league RBIs leader turned his ankle in the Series opener, but was deemed healthy enough to play in the field in the NL ballpark, where he couldn't be a designated hitter.Walker Buehler had another 1-2-3 inning for the Dodgers, although the rookie right-hander has already thrown 39 pitches.Rick Porcello also retired the Dodgers in order, striking out Yasmani Grandal in the Dodgers catcher's first start of the World Series.___5:35 p.m.The temperature at game time Friday was 78 degrees, an increase of 31 degrees from Game 2 in Boston but 25 below the oppressive heat for last year's opener at Dodger Stadium.Boston ran up rookie Walker Buehler's pitch count in a 1-2-3 first... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):5:35 p.m.The temperature at game time Friday was 78 degrees, an increase of 31 degrees from Game 2 in Boston but 25 below the oppressive heat for last year's opener at Dodger Stadium.Boston ran up rookie Walker Buehler's pitch count in a 1-2-3 first inning that included 11 foul balls, with Mookie Betts and Mitch Moreland seeing eight pitches each and Xander Bogaerts 10. The Red Sox had just two swings and misses.Rick Porcello retired Joc Pederson and Justin Turner, extending the streak of consecutive outs for the Dodgers to 18, then walked Max Muncy. Manny Machado hit into a forceout, ending Porcello's 19-pitch opening inning.___5:10 p.m.Game 3 of the World Series has started in a spectacular setting at Dodger Stadium.It was sunny and 78 degrees as the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers lined up for introductions as the crowd began to get loud. Brad Paisley strummed a guitar as he performed the national anthem, and... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):2:27 p.m.Boston benched left fielder Andrew Benintendi to make room for major league RBIs leader J.D. Martinez in the outfield as the World Series switched to the National League city for Game 3, resulting in the loss of the designated hitter.With right-hander Rick Porcello on the mound for the Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Robert restored his top four home-run hitters to the lineup: left-handed-hitting Cody Bellinger, Joc Pederson and Max Muncy along with switch-hitting catcher Yasmani Grandal.Lefties Chris Sale and David Price started the first two games for Boston and the Dodgers became the first team in World Series history to start a batting order of nine right-handed batters, none of them switch hitters.Boston also benched first baseman Steve Pearce in favor of Mitch Moreland and second baseman Ian Kinsler in favor of Brock Holt.Martinez turned his right ankle in the opener, and Red Sox manager Alex Cora... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It is fitting that one of the storylines before a World Series game at Dodger Stadium would revolve around the health of a top-hitting outfielder, and the intrigue about whether he'd be able to play.Only this time, unlike many years ago, it doesn't involve a Dodgers player.The Boston Red Sox might not know until close to the first pitch whether J.D. Martinez will be able to start Game 3 on Friday night.The slugger rolled his right ankle while rounding second base on a double in the opener. He showed the effects of the injury the next day while trying to run, but still delivered a go-ahead, two-run single that sent the Red Sox to victory and a 2-0 lead over Los Angeles.Martinez said after the win that he expected to play. But manager Alex Cora said on Thursday that it would likely be a gametime decision after Martinez receives more treatment."It looked bad early in the game but then it seemed like it was moving better towards the end," Cora said.The similarities between... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — While the Red Sox wait to see whether J.D. Martinez can start Game 3 of the World Series, this much is true: Don't take any bets on Boston shifting a star outfielder to the infield."Mookie Betts at second? No, he's not playing second base. Well, he's not starting at second base," manager Alex Cora said Thursday.The Red Sox lead 2-0, and there's been a lot of speculation about what they will do Friday night when the designated hitter spot is dropped at Dodger Stadium.Martinez is Boston's main DH and led the majors with 130 RBIs. He drove in two runs in each of the two wins at Fenway Park, and is 3 for 7 in the Series.Martinez rolled his right ankle on a double in the opener. He stayed in and, playing while sore, delivered a key hit Wednesday night.After that win, Martinez said he planned on playing in Game 3. He started 57 times in the outfield this season, splitting time in left field and right field.The Red Sox traveled to Los Angeles on Thursday and Cora was at the... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):6:25 p.m.Joc Pederson will return to the top of the Dodgers' batting order in Game 3 as manager Dave Roberts restores some left-handed pop to what had been a one-sided lineup.Roberts said during a day off Thursday he hoped Pederson could reach base and provide RBI opportunities to LA's top hitters. Brian Dozier led off the first two games against left-handers Chris Sale and David Price, and he was followed by eight more right-handed hitters both nights. With right-hander Rick Porcello pitching for Boston on Friday, Roberts is expected to get slugging lefties Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy back in the lineup, as well.Pederson is 3 for 17 during the postseason when at the top of the lineup. He hit 24 of his 25 regular-season home runs against righties while posting a .338 on-base percentage.___6:15 p.m.Rich Hill will be the Dodgers' starter in Game 4 on Saturday.Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts made the announcement during... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):5:48 p.m.Viewership for Game 2 of the World Series was the lowest in four years, the same as the opener.An average of 13,442,000 people tuned to Fox for Boston's 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night, down 13 percent from the 15,483,000 average for Houston's 7-6, 11-inning win over the Dodgers in the second game last year. This was the lowest Game 2 viewership since 12,917,000 for Kansas City's 7-2 victory over San Francisco in 2014.Boston's 8-4 win in this year's opener averaged 13,755,000, down 8 percent from the 14,698,000 for the Dodgers' 3-1 win over Houston in Game 1 last year and the fewest since 12,191,000 for the Giants' 7-1 win over Kansas City that opened the 2014 Series.This year's Game 2 drew an average of 437,000 for Spanish-language coverage on Fox Deportes, up from 365,000 for this year's opener.___5:35 p.m.Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora says no decision has been made on whether slugger... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora says no decision has been made on whether slugger J.D. Martinez will start Game 3 of the World Series.But Cora said Thursday that whatever lineup he uses, it will not feature star right fielder Mookie Betts at second base.Martinez is Boston's main designated hitter. The DH role will not be used Friday when the Red Sox take their 2-0 lead into Dodger Stadium to face Los Angeles.Martinez rolled his right ankle on a double in Game 1. He stayed in, then delivered a key hit Wednesday night in Game 2 at Fenway Park.Cora said Martinez got treatment for his sore ankle during Thursday's travel day. The manager said Martinez would get more treatment Friday, and a decision would be made as gametime approached.Martinez has said he planned on playing in Game 3. He started 57 times in the outfield this season, splitting time in left field and right field.If Martinez plays the outfield, then either Betts, center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. or left fielder Andrew Benintendi would lose their spot. There had been speculation Betts could play second base — he made 14 starts there as a rookie in 2014, and played six innings at the spot in August after Ian Kinsler was hurt.Cora flatly said Betts would not start at second base.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox made magic with two outs during the American League playoffs.With a World Series title on the line, seems they have plenty left.Martinez delivered a two-out, tiebreaking single , and Boston got all its runs with two down while beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on Wednesday night for a 2-0 Series lead.Boston has done most of its scoring with two in the books: nine of its 12 runs through two World Series games have come that way, and 36 of 68 for the postseason.Martinez has been the electrifying force for much of that two-out October lightning. He entered Wednesday batting .667 with a 1.515 OPS with two outs in the postseason.Despite playing on the sore right ankle he rolled in Game 1, Boston's free-agent pickup went the other way for a two-run single in the fifth, a two-out knock that snapped a 2-all tie.Martinez has 13 RBIs through 11 postseason games, and seven of those have come with two outs."We just have guys that really do a really... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox made magic with two outs during the AL playoffs.With a World Series on the line, seems they have plenty left.Martinez delivered a two-out tiebreaking single, and Boston got all of its runs with two down while beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on Wednesday night for a 2-0 World Series lead.Boston has done most of its scoring with two in the books: nine of its 12 runs through two World Series games have come that way, and 36 of 68 for the postseason.Martinez has been the electrifying force for much of that two-out October lightning. He entered Tuesday batting .667 with a 1.515 OPS with two outs in the postseason.Despite playing on the sore right ankle he rolled in Game 1, Boston's free-agent pickup went the other way for a two-run single in the fifth, a two-out knock that snapped a 2-2 tie.Martinez has 13 RBIs through 11 postseason games, and seven of those have come with two outs.The Red Sox entered Wednesday batting .405 with a 1.335... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):11:20 p.m.David Price pitched six innings of three-hit ball, and major league RBI leader J.D. Martinez broke a fifth-inning tie in another two-out rally that led the Boston Red Sox to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers for a 2-0 lead in the World Series.Craig Kimbrel closed out the win at noisy Fenway Park, putting the Red Sox halfway to their fourth championship in 15 seasons.Game 3 is Friday in Los Angeles. The Dodgers would need a win then to avoid an 0-3 deficit that no World Series team has ever recovered from.The Red Sox have now won 14 of their last 16 World Series games, dating to a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2004.___11:15 p.m.Closer Craig Kimbrel is coming in to pitch the ninth inning as the Red Sox try to preserve a 4-2 lead.Starter David Price and the Boston bullpen have throttled the Dodgers, and the Red Sox are nearing a 2-0 lead in the World Series.___11 p.m.The Los Angeles Dodgers had... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):10:37 p.m.Boston's David Price was relieved after six innings by Joe Kelly in World Series Game 2 with the Red Sox ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 and was in position to win his second straight postseason start after failing to gain a victory in his first 11.Price allowed two runs, three hits and three walks, throwing 88 pitches.Julio Urias pitched a perfect sixth inning for the Dodgers, who were in danger of falling behind 2-0 in the World Series.___10:24 p.m.Maybe it's not in the cards for the Dodgers tonight, either.There was an interesting sight in the fifth inning when Ryan Madson came into the game to relieve Los Angeles starter Hyun-Jin Ryu. During the pitching change, a bat boy brought out laminated cards and gave them to the LA outfielders, certainly to realign their defensive positions.They didn't help when Madson walked Steve Pearce with two outs and the bases loaded. And they weren't much good when cleanup hitter... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):10:24 p.m.Maybe it's not in the cards for the Dodgers tonight, either.There was an interesting sight in the fifth inning when Ryan Madson came into the game to relieve Los Angeles starter Hyun-Jin Ryu. During the pitching change, a bat boy brought out laminated cards and gave them to the LA outfielders, certainly to realign their defensive positions.They didn't help when Madson walked Steve Pearce with two outs and the bases loaded. And they weren't much good when cleanup hitter J.D. Martinez hit an opposite-field liner to right that fell way in front of Yasiel Puig, who might've been playing too deep, even for the slugger.The two-run single put Boston ahead 4-2 going into the sixth.Before the game, Madson said about facing Martinez: "You know you're in a pit with a rattlesnake, and one bad move, and you'll get bit if you're not paying attention."Andrew Benintendi drew a walk that finished Ryu, bringing in Madson. The Red Sox... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):9:43 p.m.Matt Kemp's sacrifice fly and Yasiel Puig's two-out RBI single in a two-run fourth inning put Los Angeles ahead of the Boston Red Sox 2-1 in Game 2 and gave the Dodgers their first lead of the World Series.Red Sox starter David Price opened with two hitless innings, allowing only a pair of walks, before David Freese and Manny Machado singled opening the fourth.Chris Taylor walked on a full count, loading the bases, and Kemp reached down to golf a changeup to center. Price struck out Enrique Hernandez in a nine-pitch at-bat, and Puig lined the next pitch into center. Price then struck out No. 9 hitter Austin Barnes.Price needed 24 pitches to get through the inning, raising his total to 67.Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu retired his last five hitters through the fourth inning and had thrown 51 pitches.Boston designated hitter J.D. Martinez, who turned an ankle rounding second base in the opener, ran very slowly when grounding... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):9:15 p.m.David Price held the Los Angeles Dodgers for three innings before they broke through in the top of the fourth. David Freese hit a sinking liner to right that Mookie Betts slid in front of to knock down. It was the Dodgers' first hit of the game, and Manny Machado followed with another single.Price had a 1-0 lead through three innings in his attempt to win a second straight postseason start.It's quite a turnaround for the pitcher who was winless in his first 11 playoff starts. Price has struck out three and walked two while throwing 43 pitches through three innings.The Red Sox are giving Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu difficulty. He's allowed four hits through three innings. Mookie Betts had a one-out single but was stranded there in the bottom of the third.___8:50 p.m.The Boston Red Sox are back on top, and that's meant trouble for opposing teams this October.Xander Bogaerts doubled high off the Green Monster and scored... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):8:50 p.m.The Boston Red Sox are back on top, and that's meant trouble for opposing teams this October.Xander Bogaerts doubled high off the Green Monster and scored on a two-out single by Ian Kinsler that gave Boston a 1-0 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers after two innings.The Red Sox are 8-0 this postseason when they score first.David Price zipped through two innings, allowing only a walk. Maybe he's found his groove — he was 0-9 in 11 postseason starts before pitching six shutout innings last week as the Red Sox closed out Houston in the AL Championship Series.Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu sailed through the first, then gave up three hits in the second. He got a break when Kinsler was thrown out at third, trying to advance on a single by Jackie Bradley Jr., to end the inning.___8:25 p.m.Game 2 of the World Series is off to a chilly and clean start.Red Sox lefty David Price worked around a two-out walk and got Manny Machado... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):8:25 p.m.Game 2 of the World Series is off to a chilly and clean start.Red Sox lefty David Price worked around a two-out walk and got Manny Machado on a popup to end the opening inning. First baseman Steve Pearce, who's from Florida, made the catch — he's wearing a ski mask.It was 47 degrees and windy for the first pitch, and the temperature was forecast to drop near 40 as the night goes on.Dodgers lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu quickly set down Boston, breezing through the top of the order.___8:10 p.m.The Boston Red Sox honored their 2004 championship team before Game 2 of the World Series, and even the Dodgers got a little love.Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts received a big cheer during the pregame ceremony. He ran out to the mound to hug some of his former teammates, tipped his hat to the crowd and then headed back to the visitors' dugout.Roberts didn't play at all in the '04 Series, but he had a key stolen base that keyed Boston's... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):7:55 p.m.Boston's 8-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series opener drew an average of 13,755,000 viewers on Fox, down 8 percent from the 14,698,000 for the Dodgers' 3-1 win over Houston in Game 1 last year.The viewers were the fewest since 12,191,000 for San Francisco's 7-1 win over Kansas City in the 2014 opener.___7:25 p.m.Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred doesn't foresee any problems if the World Series winner is invited to make the traditional visit to the White House.Both World Series teams have minority managers for the first time, and President Donald Trump has had tense relationships with many minority groups."I think as an institution, Major League Baseball has always had the greatest respect for the office of the presidency," Manfred said before Game 2 Wednesday night. "That doesn't change, no matter who's there. Often we've had situations where individuals, players, whatever, don't agree with all of... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):5:15 p.m.A giant rainbow has appeared over Fenway Park, stretching from end to end. It's so big and gorgeous that Red Sox players stopped to marvel at it during warmups before Game 2 of the World Series.Fenway DJ TJ Connelly noticed, too, playing the Rolling Stones' "She's A Rainbow " for fans as they entered the park. Many people walking in stopped to take pictures.There was rain in the late afternoon that threatened to cancel batting practice for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston for the second straight day. But it cleared up in time for workouts.There were three rainbows over Fenway before the opener Tuesday, but none that rivaled this spectacular show.___4:55 p.m.The Red Sox made one change to their starting batting order after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series opener, inserting Christian Vazquez at catcher for Game 2 in place of Sandy Leon.Boston manager Alex Cora dropped the catcher's spot one slot to... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Red Sox made one change to their starting batting order after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series opener, inserting Christian Vazquez at catcher for Game 2 in place of Sandy Leon.Boston manager Alex Cora dropped the catcher's spot one slot to ninth on Wednesday night, raising center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to eighth.The Dodgers didn't change their lineup.David Price starts on the mound for the Red Sox and Hyun-Jin Ryu for the Dodgers. This marks just the third World Series in which both starting pitchers in the first two games are lefties, after 1963 and 1973.In the opener, the Dodgers became the first team to start nine right-handed hitters in a Series game, none switch-hitters.Second baseman Brian Dozier leads off for the Dodgers, followed by third baseman Justin Turner, first baseman David Freese, shortstop Manny Machado, left fielder Chris Taylor, designated hitter Matt Kemp, center fielder Enrique Hernandez, right fielder Yasiel Puig and catcher Austin Barnes.Right fielder Mookie Betts hits leadoff for Boston, followed by left fielder Andrew Benintendi, first baseman Steve Pearce, designated hitter J.D. Martinez, shortstop Xander Bogaerts, third baseman Rafael Devers, second baseman Ian Kinsler, Vazquez and Bradley.Roberts had Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy and Joc Pederson on the bench.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports