Hollywood story: Hill goes from Long Island Ducks to Series

Rich Hill is living a Hollywood story.

Twenty-six months ago, he was pitching for the Long Island Ducks in the independent Atlantic League.

Thirteen months ago, he was pulled from a perfect game after seven innings because of his pitch count.

Two months ago, another perfect-game bid was spoiled by a leadoff error in the ninth.

And on Wednesday night, the 37-year-old left-hander will be on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers starting Game 2 of the World Series.

“A couple years ago, I was using a bucket in independent ball as a toilet,” he recalled last weekend.

Script writers seeking a follow-up to “Bull Durham,” ”Field of Dreams” and “The Natural” need look no farther than Dodger Stadium, just 7 miles down the 101 from the Walk of Fame. Hill will take on the Houston Astros, who start Justin Verlander, the MVP of the AL Championship Series.

After a decade in the major leagues, Hill began 2015 with the Washington Nationals’ Triple-A team at Syracuse, New York, and was released in June. He signed with the Ducks, struck out seven over five hitless innings on Aug. 2 against the Bridgeport Bluefish, then a week later struck out 14 over six scoreless innings versus the Camden Riversharks.

“I think it’s something that people will think of and say, wow, it’s just a bunch of guys that are washed up or guys that didn’t get an opportunity to make it,” he explained Tuesday. “But that’s not true. If you actually go to a game and take it in and see, there’s a lot of good talent here. It just happens that Custom New England Patriots Jerseys there wasn’t any room for these players in affiliated baseball.”

Boston took notice, purchased his contract and brought him back to the big Custom Boston Bruins Jerseys leagues in mid-September.

“It was a great experience. I wouldn’t change that for anything,” Hill said. “It was learning again, reigniting that fire, reigniting that passion for what we do out there on the field and really getting back into disassociating yourself with the results and just understanding that it is a pitch-to-pitch process and understanding that the moment is all that matters.”

He went 2-1 with a 1.55 ERA in four starts with the Red Sox and earned a $6 million, one-year deal with Oakland for 2016. Dealt to the Dodgers that Aug. 1, he went 7-5 with a 2.12 ERA in 20 starts overall, became a free agent again and signed a $48 million, four-year contract to remain with Los Angeles.

At the news conference to announce his big deal, Hill’s voice quavered and his face flushed with emotion when he thanked his wife Caitlin; son Brice, who was born in 2011; and Custom Golden State Warriors Jerseys son Brooks, who was less than 2 months old when he died in February 2014.

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