JBJ adds to clutch October with big G3 blast

LOS ANGELES -- Jackie Bradley Jr. did it again with his late-game heroics, hitting a towering solo shot with two outs in the top of the eighth against Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen to tie Game 3 of the World Series at a run apiece.
It was a reprisal of Bradley's role in the American League Championship Series, when he seemed to get a big hit every time the Red Sox needed one. En route to MVP honors in that series, he had just three hits, but two of them were homers and he had nine RBIs. And while Bradley's clutch homer Friday night helped send the game to extras, Boston ultimately fell short in a 3-2 loss in 18 innings.

Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler had carved up the Red Sox through seven brilliant innings.
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts looked for Jansen to get the final six outs. Initially that plan went well when the righty got the first two batters he faced.
But Bradley changed the momentum when he belted a 2-1 cutter with an exit velocity of 102.5 mph and a projected distance of 394 feet.
It was somewhat surprising that Bradley even started in Game 3. Many people expected manager Alex Cora to go with an outfield of Andrew Benintendi, Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez. But with Martinez nursing a sore right ankle, Cora wanted to protect his left fielder with Bradley's superior range in center.