David Price, Rafael Devers Send Boston To World Series

Players of the Day for Thursday, October 18, 2018

American League

AL Championship Series Game Five: Boston Red Sox 4 Houston Astros 1

Price: 6IP, 3H, 0ER, 9K

Boston's David Price and Houston's Justin Verlander dueled through six innings until Red Sox third baseman, Rafael Devers, delivered the winning blow, a three-run sixth-inning homer that effectively finished off Verlander and the Astros, sending the Red Sox to a 4-1 win and a trip to the world series.

Verlander suffered his first loss of this post-season, previously notching two wins, over Cleveland in game one of the ALDS and game one against Boston in the championship series. It was Houston's only win against Boston as the Red Sox won four straight.

Devers: 3-run homer

Price evened his 2018 post-season record at 1-1, tossing six innings of shutout ball, nursing a 1-0 lead from the third inning on J.D. Martinez's solo homer run. Price allowed just three hits, didn't issue any walks and fanned nine. The Astros never threatened. With Price on the mound, they never had more than one baserunner per inning, none advancing past second and they went down in order in the third, fifth. and sixth.

This will be the first Red Sox world series appearance since they defeated St. Louis in 2013, four games to two. Boston's experience in the 21st century has been a positive one, winning the World Series in all of their appearances, previously winning in 2004 and 2007. They swept the Colorado Rockies in 2007 and also swept the Cardinals in 2004, taking the title for the first time since 1918.

National League

The NL Championship Series continues Friday in Milwaukee with game five beginning at 8:39 pm ET. The Dodgers lead the Brewers, three games to two.