Max Muncy hit an opposite field walkoff solo homer off Nathan Eovaldi to lead off the bottom of the 18th inning Friday night/Saturday morning, as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Boston Red Sox 3-2 at Dodger Stadium. The Red Sox still lead the best of seven World Series 2-1. The game took a record seven hours and 20 minutes to play, and was the longest game ever in World Series history.
Joc Peterson got things started for the Dodgers with a line drive solo home run down the right field line off Sox starter Rick Porcello in the third inning. Los Angeles rookie starter Walker Buehler had Boston off balance all night, and didn’t allow any runs in his 7.0 innings of work. Manager Dave Roberts brought in closer Kenley Jansen to try to pick up a six out save in the eighth. Janson retired Brock Holt on a flyout, and struck out Rafael Devers to start the eighth. With the bases empty, ALCS MVP Jackie Bradley Jr. took Jansen deep over the right field fence on a 2-0 pitch to tie the game 1-1. It was the 10th RBI for Bradley Jr. in the 2018 playoffs. The game would then head to extra innings.
Brock Holt had scored on an infield single by Eduardo Nunez and a throwing error by Dodgers reliever Scott Alexander in the top of the 13th inning to give Boston a 2-1 lead. LA responded however, as Muncy walked to begin the bottom of the 13th against Eovaldi. After Manny Machado flied out to left, Cody Bellinger popped out in foul territory to Nunez at third who fell into the stands to catch the ball. Muncy was able to take second base on the play. Yasiel Puig with two outs hit a grounder to second baseman Ian Kinsler, who tried to throw out Puig but his throw was wide and the error allowed Muncy to score and tie it 2-2, on what was ruled a hit and a throwing error on Kinsler.
Porcello went 4.2 innings, allowing just one run on three hits, with five strikeouts and threw 43 of his 61 pitches for strikes. Eduardo Rodriguez, Joe Kelly, Ryan Brasier, Matt Barnes, David Price, Craig Kimbrel, Heath Hembree, and Eovaldi combined to throw 11.1 innings of scoreless relief. Eovaldi (0-1), who took the loss, did allow the unearned run that tied the score in the 13th and gave up the game winner in the 18th, but threw 6.0 innings on 97 pitches out of the pen with five strikeouts. For the Dodgers, Buehler allowed just two hits and had seven strikeouts and threw 108 pitches (72 for strikes). Pedro Baez, Ryan Madson, Dylan Floro, Kenta Maeda, Julio Urias, and Alex Wood threw a combined 8.0 innings of scoreless relief following the two innings of one run relief by Jansen, with Alexander also giving up a run in the 13th out of the pen. Wood (1-0) got credit for the win. Bradley and Nunez had two hits a piece for Boston, while Muncey, Justin Turner, and Puig had two hits each for Los Angeles.
Game four is scheduled for an 8:09 first pitch Saturday night.
