The Red Sox take a 3-1 lead.

It seemed that the Dodgers had this one in hand. And then they didn’t. The Dodgers got another superb start from their pitching staff. Rich Hill allowed only one hit in 6.1. This time, however, their bullpen failed miserably.

The Red Sox bullpen was also poor, but it wasn’t that important, given that their hitters put up 9 runs in the last three innings.

The Red Sox’ big stars, Betts and Martinez, were again collared, but they were not needed this time. The Dodgers were defeated by role players, two veterans who are career .250 hitters. Mitch Moreland delivered a clutch pinch-hit homer to ignite the Sox, but the obvious Red Sox star was an aging journeyman and general utility guy, Steve Pearce. He tied the game with a homer in the eighth, then put it out of reach with a three-run double in the ninth that gave Boston the final margin of victory. This is Pearce’s 12th major league season. He’s played five different positions plus DH, for seven different teams in both leagues. In all those years he has never played regularly enough to qualify for the annual leader board on the rate stats. He has never batted in as many as 50 runs in a season. He has averaged only 181 at bats per year.

He’s not a “poor player” but this was the time to strut and fret his hour upon the stage.

And he’s entitled to a little strutting after that game.