BOSTON – David Price was spotted smiling around Fenway Park … in October.

“Yesterday was media day,” Price said of the World Series press conferences on Monday. “I got to look forward to it for the first time in a long time.”

Price, the Red Sox Game 2 starter on Wednesday, can simply talk about the Los Angeles Dodgers, with no more questions about the baffling drought. After an 0-9 record as a postseason starter, Price won his first game last week in Boston’s pennant-clinching 4-1 win in Houston.

“It’s definitely a weight lifted off me, for sure,” he said. “I guess ‘lighter’ is a good word, yeah.”

What made Price’s breakthrough even more celebratory was that he did it on only three days’ rest, and a day after warming up in the bullpen, in case he was needed in relief.

Maybe another session in the bullpen Tuesday night?

“No,” Price said. “I had a good catch out there (Tuesday afternoon), so I’ll carry that into (Wednesday).”

One thing about that bullpen session last week in Houston, Price said he discovered a correction in his motion – “just something that makes my delivery just flow a little better, kind of put my arm more on time for every pitch. Just put me in position to execute every pitch.”

The pitch that Price really executed in Game 5 of the ALCS was his change-up. Price’s change-up was missing in Game 2 (a 4 2/3-inning effort, allowing four runs).”

Price’s change-up will be needed if he is to master the Dodgers, who will certainly load its lineup with right-handed bats (like it did against Chris Sale on Tuesday).

“They have a very good lineup for a left-handed pitcher,” Price said. “Just (a matter of) going out there and executing pitches.”

Getting that first playoff win as a starter may boost Price’s confidence; although he said his desire remains the same.

“Just because I failed in October for about nine straight years, it didn’t take away my passion from baseball,” Price said. “The ups and downs, I knew they were going to happen.

“I’ve definitely had many more downs than ups in October. But I’ve got a lot of baseball left.

“Hopefully, I have a lot of October baseball left. This is why I came to Boston.”

THE DODGERS WILL keep left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu as their Game 2 starter, although he has sometimes struggled on the road. Ryu had a 1.15 ERA at Dodger Stadium this year, but 3.58 on the road. In the Division Series, Ryu beat the Braves in Los Angeles, with seven innings of four-hit, shutout ball. In the NLCS, he was 0-1 in two starts – both in Milwaukee – allowing 13 hits and seven runs over 71/3 innings.

Asked about his different numbers at home and one the road, Ryu would only say (through an interpreter), “I feel pretty comfortable pitching at Dodger Stadium.”

Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged that Ryu has “thrown considerably better at home … but just the way he’s throwing the baseball, we feel confident he can go out there and put up a quality start.”

Ryu, from South Korea, is in the last season of a six-year contract. He throws a 90 mph fastball, with a generous dose of cutters, change-ups and curveballs.

He made only 15 starts (7-3, 1.97 ERA) because of a severe groin muscle strain that sidelined him for over three months, Ryu came off the disabled list on Aug. 15.

DREW POMERANZ was an unexpected addition to the Red Sox World Series roster, replacing the ineffective Brandon Workman.

Boston Manager Alex Cora explained Pomeranz is in uniform for two reasons – the Red Sox wanted another left-hander reliever to counter the Dodgers’ lineup, and Pomeranz is looking better than he did at the end of the season (11.05 ERA in September).

“His velocity is up (to) 93 (mph),” Cora said. “He’s been doing an outstanding job the last two weeks working on his mechanics.

“When the velocity is up, then the other pitchers come into play. We do feel that his mix is going to be a good one against them.”

The Dodgers use various lineups, matching up against right-handed and left-handed players – “like playing hockey with all the shifts,” Cora said.

“Eddie (Rodriguez, the other lefty reliever) and Drew at one point in this series, they’re going to have to get one of those lefties out, or one of those righties with reverse splits.”

JAMES TAYLOR sang the national anthem and Carl Yastrzemski threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: @ClearTheBases

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