When the Dodgers have been in precarious situations in the middle innings this postseason, when the opposition is threatening with runners on base and the game’s complexion is a swing away from a drastic shift, manager Dave Roberts has unflinchingly confided in one reliever. That reliever, Ryan Madson, pitched to a 5.47 ERA in 58 games during the regular season, but the Dodgers, who acquired him on Aug. 31, discarded the numbers. They trusted the 38-year-old Madson’s stuff and extensive experience.
For the postseason’s first two rounds, the faith paid dividends. Madson, who is second all-time in playoff appearances, successfully extinguished fires in his role. He has only splashed gasoline on them in the World Series.
Madson was assigned another thorny task in Game 4 on Saturday night, when he entered with two runners on base and one out in the seventh inning. The Dodgers led 4-0. He got pinch-hitter Jackie Bradley Jr. to pop out before serving a fat changeup that Mitch Moreland blasted for a three-run home run in Boston’s eventual 9-6 victory, which pulled the Red Sox within a win of seizing the World Series. The Red Sox can clinch it Sunday in Game 5.
“You got to be your best against that lineup,” Madson said. “Obviously, I wasn’t, and that’s what will happen. That’s a good lineup. If you have your best stuff then you have a chance.”
Madson has appeared in every game of the series. He’s inherited seven runners. All seven have scored. Somehow, Moreland was the first run charged to Madson since Game 5 of the National League Championship Series — a span that includes Madson’s ineffectiveness in Games 1 and 2 of the World Series.
In Game 1 at Fenway Park, Madson relieved Clayton Kershaw in the fifth inning with two on and none out. He issued a five-pitch walk, gave up a run-scoring fielder’s choice, and gave up an RBI single before escaping. Roberts stuck with Madson the next night anyway, replacing Hyun-Jin Ryu with him with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth inning. The Dodgers led 2-1. They trailed 3-2 by the end of the inning after J.D. Martinez’s two-run single off Madson.
1/49
Red Sox base runner Brock Holt celebrates the go-ahead run in the 9th inning as Dodger reliever Dylan Floro walks back to the mound in the 9th inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 2/49
Red Sox Brock Holt reacts after his double in the 8th inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 3/49
Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal looks away as Red Sox baserunner Andrew Benintendi is greeted at home plate.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 4/49
Dodgers Kenta Maeda and Yasmani Grandal share in the misery as Steve Pearce scores on a ninth inning hit by Xander Bogaerts.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 5/49
Dodgers relief pitcher Kenta Maeda reacts as Red Sox first baseman Steve Pearce scores in the ninth inning.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 6/49
Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen looks down after giving up the tying run to Boston Red Sox first baseman Steve Pearce in the eighth inning.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 7/49
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA , OCTOBER 27, 2018-Dodgers relief pitcher Kenta Maeda reacts as Steve Pearce scores a run in the 9th inning in Game 4 of the World Series Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
8/49
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 27, 2018: Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal (9) reacts after striking out with 2 runners on base in the eighth inning during Game 4 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi/Los AngelesTimes) (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
9/49
Red Sox second baseman Brock Holt hits a double off Dodgers relief pitcher Dylan Floro and went on to score the go-ahead run in the ninth inning.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 10/49
Red Sox Mitch Moreland celebrates his three-run home run against the Dodgers in the 7th inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 11/49
Red Sox base runner Brock Holt scores the go-ahead run against Dodgers pitcher Dylan Floro, right, in the 9th inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 12/49
As Dodgers’ Austin Barnes waits, Red Sox’s Steve Pearce celebrates his game-tying home run in the eighth inning on Saturday in Game 4 of the World Series.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 13/49
Red Sox’s Steve Pearce celebrates his game-tying home run with J.D. Martinez in the eighth inning.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 14/49
Dodgers Kenley Jansen expresses frustration in the dugout after giving up a game-tyinig home run in the eighth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 15/49
Red Sox’s Steve Pearce celebrates as he hits a solo home run in the eighth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 16/49
Dodgers Cody Bellinger jumps but only a fan can catch Red Sox’s Steve Pearce homer in the eighth inning
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 17/49
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulls starting pitcher Rich Hill in the 7th inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 18/49
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts embraces starting pitcher Rich Hill as the team celebrates as the team rallies in the sixth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 19/49
Manny Machado slides safely into third base, advancing from first on a throwing error by catcher Christian Vazquez in the sixth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20/49
Red Sox’s Steve Pearce homers off Kenley Jansen in the eighth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 21/49
Dodgers Yasiel Puig reacts after Red Sox hitter Mitch Moreland hits a three-run home run in the 7th inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 22/49
Dodgers Yasiel Puig walks back to right field after the Red Sox takes the lead in the 9th inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 23/49
Ryan Madson wipes sweat from his brow as Mitch Moreland rounds the bases on a three-run seventh inning homer.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 24/49
Red Sox Mitch Moreland hits a three-run home run in the 7th inning/
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 25/49
LYasiel Puig takes a curtain call after hitting a three-run homer in the sixth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 26/49
Dodgers Manny Machado, left, and Cody Bellinger, middle, celebrate Yasiel Puig’s sixth-inning three-run homer.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 27/49
Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig celebrates his 3-run homer off Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez with Cody Bellinger and Manny Machado in the sixth inning.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 28/49
Dodger players Joc Pederson (31) Brian Dozier (6) and Justin Turner celebrate Yasiel Puig’s, second from left, three-run home run.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 29/49
Dodgers Yasiel Puig homers off Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez in the sixth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 30/49
Fans erupt as Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puighits a 3-run homer off Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez in the sixth inning.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 31/49
Dodgers teammates celebrate after Yasiel Puig hits a three-run homer in the sixth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 32/49
Dodgers Yasiel Puig hits a three-run home run against the Red Sox in the 6th inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 33/49
Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill throws out Red Sox hitter Andrew Benintendi in the 6th inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 34/49
Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill throws out Red Sox hitter Andrew Benintendi in the 6th inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 35/49
Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill is pumped up after finishing the fifth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 36/49
Dodgers Manny Machado touches the helmet of Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez after striking out in the 4th inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 37/49
Dodgers fans cheer with a boy who got a foul ball hit by Dodgers’ Manny Machado in the fourth inning.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 38/49
=Ddogers Cody Bellinger grimaces in pain after fouling a ball off his foot in the 4th inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 39/49
Dodgers Cody Bellinger falls after hitting a foul pitch off his foot during a fourth inning at bat.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 40/49
Red Sox’s J. D. Martinez strikes out in the first inning against the Dodgers.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 41/49
Dodgers starting pitcher Rich Hill celebrates striking out a Red Sox batter in the first inning.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 42/49
Ddogers pitcher Rich Hill throws a pitch in the first inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 43/49
L.A. sports legends from left, Sandy Koufax, Magic Johnson and Tommy Lasorda watch Game 4 of the World Series.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 44/49
Dodgers flag girls parade the flags on top of the Red Sox dugout as they rally fans before game four.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 45/49
Oakland Athletics’ pitcher Dennis Eckersley and Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson meet at the mound for the first pitch before Game 4 of the World Series.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 46/49
Dennis Eckersley and Kirk Gibson throws out the first pitch before Game 4 of the World Series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 47/49
Kobe Bryant reads the Dodgers lineup before Game 4 of the World Series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 48/49
Fans and players stand for the National Anthem before Game 4 of the World Series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 49/49
A view of downtown Los Angeles from the Dodger Stadium parking lot before Game 4 of the World Series.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Madson went away from his changeup, perhaps his best pitch, in both instances. He did not believe his pitch selection was at fault. After Game 2, he said, “It’s kind of a crapshoot with inherited runners.” He said he beat Martinez, but the slugger was able to muscle a pitch to the outfield, and commented that he should’ve warmed up more in the New England chill.
The weather wasn’t an issue in Game 3 on Friday, when Madson got an out with two pitches to start the 12th inning of the 18-inning marathon, and it wasn’t an issue on Saturday. This mess was a little later, in the seventh inning, with a bigger cushion. The results did not change.
The seventh inning began with left-hander Rich Hill, the Dodgers’ starter, walking Xander Bogaerts before striking out Eduardo Nunez. Brock Holt, a left-hander, was up next. The matchup seemed favorable, but Hill was on his third time through the Red Sox lineup and Roberts pulled him after 61/3 sterling innings for Scott Alexander, another left-hander.
Alexander walked Holt. Christian Vazquez, a right-handed hitter, was due up so Roberts, who didn’t have Pedro Baez or Julio Urias available out of the bullpen Saturday, brought in Madson. That prompted Red Sox manager Alex Cora to pinch-hit Bradley, a left-handed batter.
“In that spot right there, considering who you have left in the ’pen,” Roberts said, “you have to make a decision and I felt Ryan had a very good chance to get him out.”
Bradley popped out before Moreland, an All-Star first baseman this season, stepped to the plate pinch-hitting in the pitcher’s spot. Moreland had been one for four with an RBI in his career against Madson. They last clashed in 2016. Their encounter Saturday was brief. Moreland swatted the first pitch — an 85-mph changeup up and over the plate — 437 feet into the bleachers in right-center field.
“First-pitch changeup, usually I’m not going to throw it for a strike,” Madson said. “I don’t know where it ended up — I didn’t see the video — but I know it was up out of my hand. Definitely didn’t want it to be a strike but it was. I knew it was up but I don’t know where it ended.”
It was Moreland’s first home run this postseason and his fifth hit. It pulled the Red Sox within a run and reversed the momentum, initiating a historic collapse that has the Dodgers on the brink of elimination.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill discusses the team losing Game 4 of the World Series.
jorge.castillo@latimes.com
Twitter: @jorgecastillo
