Sox going with Price instead of Sale in Game 5

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LOS ANGELES -- One win away from winning a World Series title in his rookie season as a manager, Alex Cora appears poised to make surprise moves right up until the champagne flows.
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Following Saturday's 9-6 triumph, which gave the Red Sox a commanding 3-1 lead over the Dodgers in the World Series, Cora matter-of-factly announced that David Price will start Sunday's Game 5 instead of ace Chris Sale.
Price will be making the start on three days of rest, though he threw 13 pitches in relief in Friday's Game 3, a 3-2 loss in 18 innings. Sale would have been on regular rest.
Cora did the same thing with a 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series, but there were extenuating circumstances: Sale had been hospitalized earlier in the week with a stomach illness.
Last time the decision worked magnificently, as Price spun a gem (six shutout innings, three hits, no walks, nine strikeouts) to close out the Astros for his first career win as a starter in the postseason.
This time, Cora said, it is a pure baseball decision.
"We feel like David is good tomorrow. [Sale] is OK, Chris is good [health-wise]," said Cora. "We talked about it before the game, and this is a good spot for David, in a National League park to start a game. Obviously, he's been throwing the ball well."
Price has made five appearances this postseason, including four starts, going 2-1 with a 4.26 ERA. He faced three batters in the ninth inning on Friday, allowing a single to Cody Bellinger, getting Yasiel Puig to fly to right and then walking Yasmani Grandal after Bellinger was caught stealing.

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Sale dealt with inflammation in his left shoulder over the final two months of the regular season and hasn't been vintage in the postseason, accumulating just 13 1/3 innings in three starts while going 1-0 with a 4.73 ERA. He did dominate in the bullpen in clinching Game 4 of the AL Division Series at Yankee Stadium, and Cora hinted that he could be used in relief again should the Red Sox have a chance to close out the World Series on Sunday.
"Actually, he'll be back there [in the bullpen], and if necessary in Game 6, he's the starter," said Cora.

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The Dodgers will go with their unquestioned best in Game 5, with lefty Clayton Kershaw taking the ball.

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