Los Angeles Dodgers: Positive and negative takeaways from Game 1

Positive: The offensive approach was great

Chris Sale is no easy pitcher to hit off of, even if he just battled a stomach illness and is not in the high-90s like he usually is. After the first two batters struck out to start the game, Sale looked as dominant as he has in quite some time and it seemed like a long night in the making.

However, it was quite the opposite for Sale. It still took the hard-throwing southpaw 21 pitches to get out of the first inning. With a pitch count in the 90s and a leadoff walk to Brian Dozier in the fifth inning, Alex Cora went to the bullpen.

Having a patient approach and scoring three runs off of Sale was a great sign for the Dodgers, who struggled against the Brewers starting pitching in the NLCS. This Red Sox bullpen has some good arms but is bound to crack and forcing the bullpen in the game in the top of the fifth is a great sign for the team.

Was the team perfect with runners in scoring position? No. However, the team still drove in four runs and could have been a much different game if Manny Machado had two singles instead of a groundout and sacrifice fly.

That would have produced another two runs for the Dodgers and would have shifted the game entirely. It is impossible to expect a team to be perfect at the plate and the Dodgers had a good game plan all night.