Chat » The Boston Red Sox are in control of the 2018 World

Series.Alex Cora's team used 12 runs in the first two games against the Los Angeles Dodgers to open up a 2-0 advantage heading into Friday's Game 3 at Dodger Stadium.Boston's bats have been the main story through 18 innings of play http://www.tigersfanproshop.com/authentic-joe-jimenez-jersey , as the Red Sox are hitting .297 compared to the .175 average put together by the Dodgers.The Red Sox also put up better numbers on the mound, as they posted a 3.00 ERA, while the Dodgers pitching staff holds a 6.75 ERA.Los Angeles will try to alter the course of the series through Walker Buehler in Game 3, while the Red Sox counter with Rick Porcello on the mound.Boston has held the advantage in the eyes of the oddsmakers as well, but with the Dodgers returning home, they are favored going into Game 3.Game 3 Prop OddsThe Dodgers are favored on the run line and money line for Game 3, perOddsShark.The over/under for Game 3 is set at 7.5 runs, which is a total that was eclipsed in Game 1, while the Game 2 total fell short by a run.More prop bets for Game 3 can be found on OddsChecker.Stat ProjectionsWalker Buehler; 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 KBuehler will be able to cool off the Boston lineup in Game 3 with another strong postseason performance for the Dodgers.In Game 7 of the NLCS, the 24-year-old limited the Milwaukee Brewers to one earned run on six hits in 4.2 innings of work.The one earned run conceded by Buehler in Game 7 was the only one the Brewers could muster as the Dodgers captured the National League pennant.Jeff Roberson/Associated PressBuehler, who has never faced the Red Sox in his career, holds a 4-3 record, 2.31 ERA and 0.897 WHIP at Dodger Stadium.Inside the comfort of his home stadium Chad Bettis Jersey , the right-handed hurler will lock into a zone and stop the Red Sox from jumping to an early lead through Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi.While Buehler is silencing Boston's lineup, the Dodgers will put up at least three runs against Porcello.Three runs is a significant total because Buehler is 4-1 when he receives three to five runs of support from his offense and 4-0 when the Dodgers score six runs or more when he starts.By going six innings, he allows manager Dave Roberts to avoid using Ryan Madson, who struggled in Games 1 and 2, and go straight to a combination of Julio Urias, Alex Wood and Kenta Maeda before bringing in Kenley Jansen to close the game. Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi: 2-for-8Betts and Benintendi have set the tone at the top of the Boston order so far, but that will come to an end in Game 3.The first two hitters in the Red Sox order combined to go 8-for-16 at the plate at Fenway Park, with Benintendi earning four hits in Game 1 and Betts producing three base knocks in Game 2.Matt Slocum/Associated PressAlthough they'll both get on base in Game 3 by way of a hit, they'll do so in different parts of the game and will be unable to help the Red Sox create a rally against Buehler.One of the two outfielders will reach base in the first inning to force Buehler to pitch out of the stretch, but it won't faze him.The second hit from the duo at the top of the Boston order will come during the third time around the order against Buehler.The base knock in the fifth or sixth inning will serve as a warning sign to the Dodgers dugout to get the bullpen ready in case Buehler struggles.Despite putting pressure on the Los Angeles starter in a key situation, the Red Sox won't be able to capitalize and will be in a losing position for most of the game.Follow Joe on Twitter, JTansey90.Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference. We start our traditional look at the non-roster invitees to spring training for the D-backs"As well as the entire 40-man roster, the Arizona Diamondbacks have invited twenty other players to spring training at Salt River Fields next month. These are a mixture of up and coming prospect and crafty veterans: some will be familiar, but others, not so much. Whle you should be aware of most names on the 40-man roster [though I’m still not sure what a Robbie Scott is, or why we have one...], we’ve had a regular feature as we approach spring of going through the non-roster invitees. Forewarned is forearmed Jonathan Lucroy Jersey , and this is that week, starting with some of the pitchers you’ll be seeing reporting to Scottsdale in little more than a fortnight. Ryan AtkinsonOne of our independent ball finds, Atkinson went undrafted in 2015 out of the University of Cincinnati, though given a 4.82 ERA in his senior year there, that isn’t too surprising. He then gave up professional ball entirely for a bit, working in their Medical Center as a patient services manager. However, the bug was merely dormant, and a year later he signed with the Evansville Otters of the Frontier League (the same league which also gave us Clay Zavada). His time there was short, striking out eight over 5.2 innings of one-hit ball before the Diamondbacks brought him back into the major-league pipeline. It was his 2017 that got Ryan back on the radar, as he had 167 strikeouts over 141.2 IP at three levels, the most K’s by any D-backs prospect for the season. That got him his first spring invite, though his follow-up season proved rather rougher. In twenty starts for Double-A Jackson, Atkinson had a 5.25 ERA, and ended the season in the bullpen. The results there were better: a 1.38 ERA over 13 innings, though if he’s to progress further he needs to get the walk-rate down. Last year, Ryan walked 58 batters and hit eight more in 109 total innings, though the K’s were still there at 123. He turns 26 in May http://www.rockiesfanproshop.com/authentic-chad-bettis-jersey , so this season could well prove pivotal as to whether he follows Zavada all the way back to the majors.Stefan CrichtonCrichton’s path to spring training was rather more conventional, if injury plagued. Drafted by the Orioles in the 23rd round of the 2013 draft, he was sent to Arizona last April for cash considerations. He had a rough go in his major-league debut with the Orioles in 2017, his ERA being above eight. Crichton fared worse still out of the Aces’ bullpen last year, with a 10.13 ERA before going on the DL on May 19 with shoulder inflammation. He was eventually released in June, but was re-signed four days later, and eventually activated off the DL at the end of September. He’ll need to prove his health first. then try to live up to Mike Hazen’s comments at the time of his acquisition:Rubby De La RosaI must confess, I’d almost forgotten about De La Rosa, given he last appeared at any level, pitching for Reno in August 2017. Rubby underwent his second Tommy John procedure on August 22nd that year (his first being back in 2011, when with the Dodgers), but was re-signed to a two-year minor league deal the following month. For 2019, that’s a heavily incentive-laden contract which gives him $750K if he makes the majors, plus up to $2.75 million in bonuses, as well as an early-season opt-out if he doesn’t make the roster. After two TJ procedures, it’s a longer shot, though even getting this invite suggests the recovery is going well enough to this point. Fun fact. He led the Diamondbacks in wins for the 2015 season DJ LeMahieu Jersey , with more victories (14) than Robbie Ray and Patrick Corbin combined for (11), over their 39 starts. Seems so long ago now...Jon DuplantierGenerally regarded as the team’s top prospect going into the 2018 season, he was the organization’s Pitcher of the Year for 2017, and made the top #100 overall lists for Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and MLB.com. There was some thought he might make his major-league debut last year. but those hopes likely ended when Jon missed close to two months with right bicep tendinitis, extending an unfortunate history of arm issues (partly explaining why he dropped to the third round of the 2016 draft). That and a balky hamstring limited him to just 74 innings in 2018, though Duplantier got some of those back in the Arizona Fall League, where he threw 21.2 frames, with 32 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.32. Jack watched the prospect there, and came away “very impressed,” though even at that point doubted Duplantier would be in the 2019 Opening Day rotation. The subsequent arrival of Merrill Kelly and Luke Weaver have likely pushed Jon down the depth chart, and the rise of Jazz Chisholm has knocked him of the #1 prospect throne. But if he stays fit, Duplantier should likely receive consideration when the team needs a replacement starter, as they almost inevitably will. As John Sickels wrote in August, “little question about his talent but durability still a significant question.”