2018 World Series recap: Red Sox vs. Dodgers

Mia Cafaro, News Editor

This year, the Boston Red Sox won their fourth World Series in the past 15 years, and according to experts, they will be back for more.

This marked the first time the Red Sox had faced off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series since 1916, when pitcher Babe Ruth led them to victory. Both teams, and the sport as a whole, have changed quite a bit since then, but the Red Sox still managed to make quick work of LA.

The Series went on for five games, from Oct. 23 to Oct.27. The Red Sox won Game one 8-4, getting a lead in the fifth inning with two runs batted in. They secured the victory with a three-run homer by Eduardo Nunez in the seventh inning. The game conditions at Fenway were just what the Red Sox were used to – cold and cheery, with a rambunctious crowd to lift them up and mercilessly put down their competitors.

Boston dominated again in Game two. Pitcher David Price, a former Ray, earned the win. The Dodgers got their first lead of the Series in the fourth inning, when Manny Machado crossed the plate and gave them a 2-1 upper hand, but this small victory did not last long. In the fifth inning the Dodgers pitching had a few hiccups, leading to one run being walked in, tying the game. With the bases loaded, J.D. Martinez hit a fly ball towards right field, allowing two runs to score and giving the Red Sox a 4-2 win.

Game three is when the Dodgers made their move, beating the Red Sox 3-2 in an 18-inning, seven-hour showdown. This was the longest World Series game in history, in both innings and elapsed time. The two teams were tied 2-2 at the bottom of the ninth, and each refused to give the other the upper hand. The game ended with a walk-off homerun by Max Muncy, the first in a World Series game since 2011.

Steve Pearce, the eventual MVP of the series, won Game four for the Red Sox. He tied the game 6-6 with a homerun in the eighth inning, and then batted in three runs with a double in the ninth.

The Red Sox secured their championship in Game 5. Their offense was led by Pearce’s two homeruns and solo shots from Mookie Betts and Martinez. Defensively, Price once again owned the mound.

The Boston Red Sox franchise now has nine World Series wins under its belt, and they will fight to get that far in the postseason next year. They have a strong core that’s not going anywhere, and everything they do is a team effort rather than the brunt of the work falling on the shoulders of well-known stars such as Chris Sale and Xander Bogaerts.