David Price Finally won a playoff game Thursday night in Houston.
And not just any playoff game.
The playoff game that clinched the American League Championship Series and put the Red Sox into the World Series. A 4-1 victory that completed Boston’s improbable three-game sweep at Minute Maid Park after splitting the first two games at Fenway Park.
How exquisite.
Price was winless in 11 previous post-season starts in his career. Worse, his teams lost 10 of those 11 starts.
This fall, Price lasted a total of only 6 1/3 innings in starts against the Yankees in the American League Division Series and the Astros in the ALCS.
But Thursday night, Price was brilliant. Starting in place of the ailing ace Chris Sale, he pitched six innings of three-hit, shutout baseball. He struck out nine Astros with an assortment of breaking balls low on the corners, fastballs high and tight and changeups.
Then he stood in the Red Sox dugout and watched Matt Barnes, Nathan Eovoldi and Craig Kimbrel work the last three innings. When left fielder Andrew Benintendi hauled in Tony Kemp’s fly ball on the warning track in left-center for the final out, Price joined the celebration. At long last, that winless monkey was off his back.
In a post-game interview Price mentioned that he had discovered something while warming up in the bullpen for a possible relief appearance in Game 4 on Wednesday night. He did not elaborate.
Here’s hoping that “something” stays with him for the World Series, starting Tuesday in Boston.
