2018 ALCS - Price's Redemption?

Would this game be David Price's redemption?  His playoff teams (Tampa Bay, Toronto and the Red Sox) had never won a start that he made.  Forget about his win-loss record, his TEAM had not won a game he started.  That is an astounding achievement.  And his poor 1.3 innings in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Yankees did not seem to be a harbinger of good things to come.  All of that being said, G and I decided to make our way do down to Fenway Park for Game 2 of the ALCS against the Astros.

I had taken C to the ALCS during the Red Sox magical 2013 run, and watched a heartbreaking 1-0 shutout loss in Game 1 to Anibel Sanchez.  That game, I had C and G pick a number between 1 and 10.  Tears flowed and pouting ensued, but I explained to G back then that the Red Sox did not get a hit until the 9th inning, and it was too cold for him (That's a lie of course because it can never be too cold for him.  Now my explanation to C was that he had already seen a game and did he really want to sit in those cramped seats again to watch David Price blow it yet again?

C was still pissed...

4pm.  Boston.  Of course, I drove G's ball hawking buddies and we arrived approximately 8 hours early, hoping to get in before the crowds and watch batting practice.  Unlike the game earlier this season, G actually got a ball.  Event though he would have had two if he didn't muff a ball thrown to him that a 6 year old kid dove on the floor to steal away from him.

"Dad, my glove still isn't broken in!" G rationalized to no one in particular because I had stopped listening to that excuse 6 months prior when we got him the new glove.

Had to make up a photo op.

Our seats were farther up the grandstand and a little closer to Home Plate, than the tickets that I shared with friends of mine.  But the view was OK, considering there was a huge stanchion blocking the area between the mound and home plate.  I thought, well this isn't too bad until I missed a pivotal error in the first inning that helped the Red Sox take a 2-0 lead.  I guess it didn't matter because David Price immediately gave up the lead and then some by letting the Astros put up a 2 spot in the second inning and then two more in the third.  For crying aloud, does David Price suck! I thought to myself.

But just when I thought that this game was going to start to slip away, Jackie Bradley Jr. (of all batters) turned a Garrit Cole fastball around and hit a bases clearing double to take the lead again in the 4th inning 5-4.  Now all Price had to do was get through the 5th inning and he was in line for the win.  His first in 50 career Playoff starts (or something close to that)

Well that was not to be.  Price got two quick outs int eh Fifth Inning then walked two straight batters with the top of the lineup turning over.  After leaving with two outs in the Fifth, Price was one precious out away from possibly winning a start.   But it was not meant to be.

The Red Sox bullpen, led by Matt Barnes, Ryan Brazier and Rick Porcello, recorded three Holds while the Red Sox took a 7-4 lead.  And while Craig Kimbrel came in with some lighter fluid in the 9th Inning to make it interesting, the Red Sox won the game 7-5 to tie the ALCS up at 1-1.

And David Price got his first "team" win.  The first time in history a player boasted about a "team" win.  But baby steps are all we have...well that and a couple of baseballs.