The Red Sox and Dodgers are facing off in their second ever World Series. The first was an epic affair (and a Boston win). Here’s a little of what it looked like:
Dodgers to face Red Sox in World Series
With LA’s victory on Saturday night we now know it’s the Dodgers that will face the Red Sox in the 2018 World Series, which starts Tuesday at Fenway Park.
No matter which team won the National League Championship Series, Boston hadn’t had much regular or postseason experience with either the Dodgers or the Brewers. And while Boston no doubt had plenty of confidence against either, there’s reason to believe Milwaukee might have proven the easier path to a ninth championship.
The Brew Crew
The Brewers of the American League started life as the Seattle Pilots in 1969 before moving the Milwaukee a year later. They switched to the National League in 1998. The Red Sox were 211-183 (.536) against the Brewers while they were in the AL, 8-7 against them in Interleague play since the club’s switch to the NL.
The Sox and the Brewers had never met in the postseason.
The Blue Crew
The Dodgers have always been a National League club with a history that dates back to 1884, when they were the Brooklyn Atlantics. The club went through five more names (the Grays, the Grooms, the Bridegrooms, the Robins and—oddest of all—the Superbas) before settling on “Dodgers” in 1911. They moved to Los Angeles in 1958.
Despite their long history, the Dodgers have matched up just fifteen times in the regular season with the Red Sox, most recently in a three-game set in 2016 in Los Angeles. LA won that series 2-games-to-1. The Sox won by the same margin when the teams met up the before that in 2013, also in California. In 2010 Boston swept a three-game set at Fenway. In all, the Red Sox at 8-7 in regular season match-ups.
Red Sox, Dodgers and the 1916 World Series
The Red Sox and the Robins met once in the postseason for the 1916 World Series. Naturally, it’s a good story and all the more so because it features The Babe.
21-year-old Babe Ruth, playing for Boston in just the third of what would be a 22-year career, was 0-for-5 at the plate in that Fall Classic but Ruth made his presence known, as he had all year, from the mound.
The Babe had already gone 23-12 in that regular season with baseball’s best ERA (1.75) in 44 games (40 starts). His 323.2 IP in 1916 are, to this day, the 10th-most innings worked in a single Sox season. When Ruth took the baseball for Game 2 of the World Series for that day game in Boston he couldn’t have known he would make history, as he would do again and again through the long career ahead of him.
For the Red sox, things didn’t get off to a great start. With two outs in the top of the first Ruth, with the help of some bobbling in the outfield, allowed an inside-the-park-home run by Robins center fielder Hi Myers. Despite that, Ruth settled in and even drove in the tying run in the bottom of the third with a one-out groundout that allowed Everett Scott to score after a leadoff triple.
From there, it was zeros for both teams. Ruth, toe-to-toe with Robins starter Sherry Smith, allowed no runs over 10 more innings.
Finally, in the bottom of the 14th, after a lead off walk to Dick Hoblitzell (who was then bunted over to second), Boston’s Del Gainer came through with a pinch-hit single that brought pinch-runner Mike McNally in to score the walk-off run.
Ruth worked all 14.0 inning of that game, a major league record for a starting pitcher in a postseason game to this day. He allowed six hits but just one run. He walked three and struck out four.
The 14-inning game remains the longest in World Series history, tied with 14-innings between the Royals and Mets in Game 1 in 2015 and also between the White Sox and Astros in Game 3 of the 2005 championship.
Quiet The Band
Between innings the Royal Rooters—not the Dropkick Murphys—serenaded the Sox so frequently with the original version of “Tessie” that Brooklyn manager Wilbert Robinson (shown here) complained to the home plate umpire about what the New York Times called “its monotonous chorus.” Umpire Bill Dineen called an end to the band’s performance, which was “followed with a chorus of hand clapping,” the Times reported.
As it was the year before, the 1916 World Series was played up the street from Fenway Park at Braves Field, which could accommodate the larger crowds. There’s no word on how many of the 47,373 spectators stayed for the whole game, but they may well have; the whole thing was over in just two hours and thirty-two minutes.
The Red Sox went on win the 1916 World Series 4-games-to-1.
Red Sox Win American League!
Call it a Feel Good Series: Not only did the Red Sox win their 14th American League pennant on Thursday, but they did it decisively with a three-game road sweep of the Astros and with the help of some unsung heroes.
David Price: “Special Day”
On paper, David Price versus Houston’s ace, Justin Verlander, did not seem like a favorable match for Boston. In fact, Price was masterful over six shutout innings, allowing three hits but no walks and striking out a postseason career high nine Astros. In so doing, Price became the just the seventh Red Sox pitcher with six or more shutout innings in a postseason potential clinching game and the first since Jon Lester on October 6, 2008 in ALDS Game 4 versus the Angels.
Price joined three other Boston pitchers in the club’s postseason history with six shutout innings and no walks in a postseason game (also John Lackey in 2013, Josh Beckett in 2007 and Ray Collins in 1912), but Price is the only one of the four to reach nine strikeouts in such an outing.
Price, understandably emotional after the game, called Thursday “one of the most special days I’ve ever had on the baseball field.”
The start for Price was all the more remarkable coming on just three days rest and as a fill-in for Chris Sale. The last time a pitcher in an ALCS worked 6.0 or more shutout innings on three-or-fewer days was the Orioles Mike Mussina in Game 6 of the 1997 ALCS against the Indians.
Real Relief
Matt Barnes, Nathan Eovaldi and Craig Kimbrel provided 3.0 innings of relief, the only blemish coming with a solo home run by Marwin Gonzalez in the seventh inning off Barnes.
Red Sox Nation, no doubt troubled by Kimbrel’s effective albeit terrifying two innings of work the night before, watched him finish the series with two strikeouts and a walk. After the game came word that former Sox closer Eric Gagne had texted manager Alex Cora following Game 4 to alert him that Kimbrel was tipping his pitches. Changes were made and Kimbrel’s effectiveness was boosted.
Kimbrel became the ninth pitcher in ALCS history with three saves in one series. Only Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley (1988 with the Athletics) and Greg Holland (2014 with the Royals) have had more such saves (four each).
Red Sox relievers held the Astros to eight earned runs over 18.0 relief innings (4.00 ERA), including four runs in a tough 0.1 IP by Brandon Workman. Discounting Workman’s appearance the bullpen ERA was 2.05 during the series.
Jackie Bradley: MVP
Boston got Game 5 home runs from J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers but after the game it was Jackie Bradley, Jr. who earned MVP honors. Bradley batted 3-for-15 (.200) in the series but none the less drove in nine runs with two home runs and a double while drawing four walks and scoring three runs.
“Speechless. It’s amazing,” Bradley said in a postgame interview. “I have amazing teammates, amazing staff. Everybody’s such a blessing.”
Bradley’s nine RBI were fully a third of the Red Sox’ 27 RBI during the series. Bradley joins Koji Uehara (2013), Josh Beckett (2007), David Ortiz (2004) and Marty Barrett (1986) as the only ALCS MVPs in club history.
For Bradley, 2018 certainly had its ups and downs. “It’s a lot of work. It doesn’t come easy,” Bradley conceded. “I want to continue to work, perfect my craft and hopefully keep on winning.”
The Red Sox home runs were the first allowed by Verlander in an ALCS game since Mike Napoli helped Boston beat the Tigers in 2013 ALCS Game 3. Verlander had gone three straight ALCS starts without allowing a homer and had worked a total of 25.0 straight complete innings without a home run in ALCS play.
The Red Sox now have the luxury of some rest before facing the winner of the NLCS starting Tuesday, October 23, in the World Series at Fenway Park.
Red Sox Even ALCS
They may have lost Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, but Red Sox Nation could take comfort from a good, come-from-behind 7-5 win in Game 2 on Sunday.
Starter David Price, far from invisible, was good enough to keep the Sox in the game, getting out of a two-walk, first-inning jam to be rewarded with two Sox runs in the bottom of the frame. Price immediately surrendered the lead, though, in the second inning, allowing a single and two doubles. Worse, he allowed a two-run home run by Marwin Gonzalez in the top of the third inning that had the Sox down 4-2. Boston answered back in the bottom of the third with three of their own to take and hold what would be a one-run lead until the seventh.
Despite the slim lead, Price wouldn’t qualify for the lead, exiting the game just one out shy of the prerequisite five innings of work.
What followed was 4.1 innings of solid relief by the Sox bullpen starting with Matt Barnes, who got out of a jam Price left behind and then worked all of the sixth inning, too. Barnes was followed by scoreless innings of work from Ryan Brasier and fiery Rick Porcello, who exploded with emotion after mowing down the Astros 1-2-3.
In the 9th inning, once again, close Craig Kimbrel kept the Nation on the edge of its collective seat. With a seemingly comfortable 7-4 Boston lead, Kimbrel got two quick outs before allowing a George Springer double and a José Altuve single. According to MLB.com, in his postseason career, Kimbrel has never had an outing with zero baserunners allowed when he comes into the game with a lead.
With Houston’s top player, Alex Bregman, representing the tying run at the plate, Kimbrel induced a pop fly to Andrew Benintendi that ended the game.
Offensive Might
Whereas the Red Sox offense looked missing in action in Game 1 (it was just the sixth of 180 Boston postseason games since 1903 with three or fewer hits), things were more like the regular season in ALCS Game 2.
Boston pounded out nine hits on Sunday, including four doubles, none more clutch than Jackie Bradley‘s two out, bases clearing, three-RBI shot in the third. Bradley is now tied with Andrew Benintendi for the third-most RBI in 29 postseason games for Boston since 2010. Only David Ortiz (14) and Shane Victorino (12) have had more in that time.
Mookie Betts, who has had relatively little production in the postseason, walked and then scored a key insurance run in the seventh on a passed ball by Houston backstop Martín Maldonado. Next inning Betts stepped to the plate with two outs and two on and doubled to bring in another run. Betts is now 6-for-24 (.250) since the start of the ALDS with three doubles and three RBI.
Boston’s seven runs on Sunday night were their most in an ALCS since beating the Rays 8-7 in Game 5 of the 2008 series.
Sale Hospitalized
Mid-game came the troubling news that Red Sox ace Chris Sale was hospitalized at Mass General with a stomach illness. Sale was held overnight for observation. After Sunday’s game, manager Alex Cora said the issue arose after Sale’s work in Saturday’s game and that it hadn’t affected his performance.
ALCS Schedule and Umpires
Major League Baseball announced the postseason umpiring crews for the Championship Series.
For the American League Championship Series with the Red Sox and Astros it will be crew chief Joe West along with Vic Carapazza, Mark Carlson, Chris Guccione, James Hoye and regular season crew chief Mark Wegner. Guccione, Hoye and Wegner were part of the crew for this year’s National League Wild Card Game.
Regular season crew chief Bill Miller will be the ALCS Replay Official in New York for Games 1 and 2 then will swap positions with field umpire Hoye.
West’s 40 years in blue is the longest ever by a major league umpire. His 123 career postseason games ranks second only to Umpire Gerry Davis, who has officiated 143 games in the postseason and will be crew chief for this year’s National League Championship Series.
West was behind the plate for Red Sox Clay Buchholz’ September 1, 2007 no-hitter, in which he became just the third pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter in his first or second career Major League start.
Schedule
Game 1 of ALCS will be at Fenway Park on Saturday, October 13, at 8:09 ET/5:09 PT. For the Red Sox it will be Chris Sale facing Astros ace Justin Verlander.
Game 2 will start at 7:09 ET/4:09 PT on Sunday, October 14. The matchup in that one is David Price for Boston vs Gerrit Cole for Houston.
When the series moves to Texas, ALCS Game 3 will start Tuesday, October 16, at 5:09 ET/2:09 PT and Game 4 will starts Wednesday, October 17, at 8:39 ET/5:39 PT.
Game 5 in Houston, if needed, will start on Thursday, October 18, at 8:09 ET/5:09 PT.
If the series continues, Game 6 will be at Fenway Park on Saturday, October 20, at 5:09 ET/2:09 ET, unless the NLCS is done, in which case the Red Sox will play at 8:09 ET/5:09 PT.
Game 7 is set to begin Sunday, October 21, at 7:39 ET/4:39 PT, if necessary.
All games will be broadcast on TBS. If you’ll be away from your TV, live streaming coverage of all postseason games airing on TBS will be available through the Watch TBS app. Just download the app and use it to sign into your home broadcast provider.
The World Series starts on Tuesday, October 23.