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LA Dodgers’ Max Muncy’s home run ends record World Series game in the 18th inning

AMERICANS have gone into meltdown after witnessing a seven-hour marathon that captivated the entire nation’s attention.

3 min read
October 27, 2018 - 7:08PM
AFP
The hit from Max Muncy that ended the longest World Series game in history.
The hit from Max Muncy that ended the longest World Series game in history.

IT was a marathon game neither team wanted to lose but after more than seven hours, the Los Angeles Dodgers have their first win against the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.

Max Muncy blasted an 18th inning walk off home run as the Los Angeles Dodgers snatched a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox in the longest game in World Series history.

A record-shattering game three that began on Friday afternoon at 5.09pm local time finished seven hours and 20 minutes later in the early hours of Saturday morning with the Dodgers claiming a victory that cut Boston’s lead in the best-of-seven series to 2-1.

The moment LA Dodgers' Max Muncy finally ends the marathon match.
The moment LA Dodgers' Max Muncy finally ends the marathon match.

The game was the longest in the 115-year history of the World Series, comfortably surpassing the 14-inning, five hour, 41 minute battle between the Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox in 2005.

The marathon duel was also the longest post-season game in Major League Baseball history.

“Had our backs against the wall many times, and for us to persevere, it wasn’t how we scripted it but it was a big win for us,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the game was “probably one of the best, if not the best game I’ve ever been a part of.”

“It was a great baseball game, seven hours whatever it is. People back home are probably waking up to the end,” Cora said.

Both exhausted teams emptied their benches as they attempted to get over the line, combining to use 46 players, another record for a World Series game.

Boston decimated their pitching resources as they sought to claim a win that would have given them a formidable 3-0 series lead.

The extra-inning drama was the final act of an epic contest which saw the Dodgers claw their way into a winning position after a magnificent pitching performance by rookie right-hander Walker Buehler.

Needing a win to have any chance of battling back into the series, the 24-year-old Buehler gave his team a platform for victory through seven scoreless innings, which included seven strikeouts.

When Buehler left the game, the Dodgers led 1-0 through Joc Pederson’s towering home run that soared into the right field stands in the bottom of the third inning.

It was a tough game to lose for the Red Sox after seven hours and 20 minutes.
It was a tough game to lose for the Red Sox after seven hours and 20 minutes.

But the Red Sox hit back when Jackie Bradley Jr homered off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen at the top of the eighth inning to level at 1-1.

The Red Sox were denied a 2-1 lead in the 10th inning by a stunning double play from Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers outfielder launching a bomb from long-range that found catcher Austin Barnes at home plate who tagged out Ian Kinsler.

The Red Sox then took the lead in the 13th inning when a fielding blunder involving Dodgers reliever Scott Alexander and Kike Hernandez allowed Brock Holt to scamper home for a 2-1 lead.

The Dodgers appeared to be sliding to defeat but were then gifted a tying run in the bottom of the 13th with another fielding gaffe.

Down to their final out, Cuban slugger Yasiel Puig hit a simple ground ball to Red Sox veteran Kinsler, but the second baseman chucked wildly past first base allowing Muncy to race over for the tying run at 2-2.

From that point on it became a question of who would blink first.

The stadium erupted in the 15th when Muncy missed a home run by just a few feet in far right field as it drifted into foul territory.

In the bottom of the 18th inning, Muncy finally got his reward. Eovaldi opened by serving three balls and a strike.

Muncy then pounced on his first opening, bludgeoning the ball high into left centre field for a home run before being mobbed by Dodgers teammates at home plate.

Social media went into meltdown after the result.

There were some big moments in the game but one of the biggest came when Dodger Manny Machado was at the plate.

The LA star smashed a pitch and watched it without moving, only to see it smash into the wall and only got to first base.

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Originally published as LA Dodgers’ Max Muncy’s home run ends record World Series game in the 18th inning

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/us-sports/mlb/la-dodgers-max-muncys-home-run-ends-record-world-series-game-in-the-18th-inning/news-story/342037340ee1164079f6d46cc38d30b2