After the mayhem the 18-inning marathon of Game 3 wrought on both teams' pitching staffs and the seeming ease with which Boston's bats turned small opportunities into big innings against the Dodgers bullpen in Game 4, the starting assignments for Game 5 might seem like a relief for both teams, pitting veteran lefty against veteran lefty. But David Price and Clayton Kershaw face each other with very different goals at stake.
For Kershaw, there's no tomorrows for himself or for his teammates if he doesn't help earn them a big Game 5 win. A Boston win would be the end, and reduce the Dodgers to repeat World Series losers for the first time since 1977-78.