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LOS ANGELES – It was 27 innings of madness stretched out over 27 hours at Dodger Stadium and it concluded with a sizable contingent of Red Sox fans hanging out behind the Boston dugout and chanting "Let's go, Red Sox!" and "Beat L.A.!" long after the game had finished.
If there's anything we've learned from Games 3 and 4 of the World Series, however, it's this: Do not anticipate how things are going to end.
Rich Hill was dealing, and then he was gone from Game 4. Soon after, the Dodgers' lead disappeared for good. But that does not mean the L.A. manager's decision was a simple call.
Inspired by their ace, the Red Sox piled up nine runs against the Dodgers' bullpen to gain a 3-1 lead and come back from the longest loss in World Series history.
From the wild-card round the World Series, we'll have the 2018 postseason covered.
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The momentum had been shifted to the Los Angeles Dodgers after they won the longest game in World Series history on Muncy's dramatic walk-off home run, and they appeared to have a game of four wrapped up behind a brilliant effort from Rich Hill. He left in the top of the line with a 4-0 lead and the Dodgers eight outs from victory. They had not blown a four-run lead all season – the only team in the majors not to be so.
Now they've blown one. Hill's start and Yasiel Puig's home run through the trenches of the Boston South Sox improbably scored nine runs over the final three innings to win 9-6 and take a leadership lead in the World Series. With help from ESPN.com Christina Kahrl, let's recap the timeline of the past two nights.
Friday, Game 3
6:08 p.m .: Joc Pederson hammers a first-pitch change from Rick Porcello into the right-field stands to get the Dodgers on the scoreboard first.
7:10 p.m .: Manny Machado leans into his growing legend as a diamond heel just a little bit too much by hanging around home after crushing a pitch to left field. The ball bounces off the wall, but he's still on first base: It took him 7.2 seconds to get there after his lingering admiration for his handiwork. Cody Bellinger does not get a shot at a scoring position, but it does not seem like it's going to be so bad that Machado's indifference cost the Dodgers has a crucial second run.
"I looked up and at first I thought it was not [gone], "Machado attempted to explain after the game." I saw it off the ground. But that was very, very, very poor baserunning by me. I probably was not going to be second base, but very embarrassing. "
Others might have a different word for it.
7:21 p.m. PT: Buehler has done his part, throwing the last pitch of his scoreless seven-inning effort, giving up only two hits while striking out seven. He's the first World Series starter since 1967 to pitch at least seven innings and allow two or fewer baserunners.
8:47 p.m .: A few minutes after Bellinger is caught stealing after leaving first base too early we have a 3-2 count, Brian Dozier pops up at 96mph fastball from Craig Kimbrel with two on and two outs and the game to extras and make both ballclubs embark on a historic evening.
9:04 p.m .: With one out in the 10th, the Red Sox get runners at the corners, putting them 90 feet from taking a crippling 3-0 series lead. That pinch hitter Eduardo Nunez, whose pinch-hit homer in Game 1 was the backbreaker in Boston's initial win. Nunez lifts a ball to Bellinger in center field. Austin barnes, who tags Ian Kinsler to complete the game-saving double play.
"I knew when he hit it, we probably have a chance with Belli out there, with his arm," Barnes said. "Ball took us a bit bit, I kind of expected a bit of a collision … Belli made a hell of a play, really just kept us in the game."
Boston's win expectation before the play was 69 percent; this one play swings the odds 32 points to L.A.'s favor 63-37 … but it would be a while before it made good on that.
10:16 p.m .: Into a fifth hour of baseball and the score still tied 1-1, things are starting to get sloppy. After Dodgers reliever Scott Alexander gives up a leadoff walk in the 13th, Red Sox utilityman Brock Holt steals second on a bounced pitch that Barnes tries to collect while getting tangled up with the batter, Nunez. Nunez, who has been fighting knee and ankle injuries, is hurt on the play, but Boston is out of position players, so he stays in – and delivers a dribble to the first-base line Alexander throws away to second baseman Enrique Hernandez covering first.
Boston's up 2-1 on the scoreboard. Do the Dodgers have a comeback left in them?
10:43 p.m .: Muncy catches up with a head to the bottom of the 13th to get things started he started the play in a shift position at shortstop. If healthy, he's probably able to stop himself before falling. With two outs, those 90 feet prove crucial, because …
10:46 p.m .: The Red Sox Pitch to Puig with two outs and first base Puig grounds to hard-hit ball up the middle, right to second baseman Kinsler … who slips and throws the ball away toward first. Muncy has the time to scamper home and keep L.A. alive with the score 2-2.
"I had the final out in my glove," distraught Kinsler says. "It's tough to swallow." Red Sox fans immediately think of another error that lost them to World Series game in 1986. We will not mention names.
11:34 p.m .: In the race of a grueling 10-pitch at-bat led by Nathan Eovaldi in the 15th, Muncy hits a ball out of the park … but it's just barely foul. Four-seam fastballs, three curveballs, a splitter and two cutters, striking out on the last. But the score is still 2-2, and this is exactly the kind of game where Muncy will get a chance to avenge himself.
12:30 a.m .: Muncy steps in Against Eovaldi in the bottom of the inning. Initially slated to start Game 4, Eovaldi is now pitching into his seventh inning in relief. Leading off again, Muncy watches another four-seam fastball, another splitter, another cutter, all balls. Eovaldi goes back to the fastball, blazing a strike at 98 mph. But Muncy has gotten off the shoulder, fouling off a cutter, then another fastball. Eovaldi tries the cutter one last time, but that's the pitch Muncy pounces on, ripping it 410 feet over the left-center fence for a walk-off home run and a season-saving win.
"A jubilant Muncy says," For us to be able to get this.
Game 4, Saturday
5:12 p.m .: After Buehler's flamethrowing to start Game 3, the ageless Hill and his upper 80s fastball and big curveball take the mound. The veteran lefty with more reincarnations than Doctor Who is now asked to even the series. He throws ball one to Mookie Betts to get things going.
From the first pitch of every series to the last of Game 7, you can catch the MLB postseason on ESPN Radio. Listen »
7:09 p.m .: Hill and Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez dueling through five scoreless innings – Hill did not give up a hit until the fifth. In the background of the sixth and third and one out after a Justin Turner double and just one out, Alex Cora issues an intentional walk to Machado to load the bases. Bellinger chops a grounder to first baseman Steve Pearce for what looks like a 3-2-3 double play in the making. Catcher Christian Vazquez the ball in the field of cleansing at home at BellingerPearce can not make a play. The ball skips down the right-field line, sending the ball home to score the first run of the game. Instead of an inning-ending DP, it's 1-0 Dodgers.
7:13 p.m .: Cora leaves Rodriguez out there, counting perhaps on Puig's reverse platoon split to help make that risk seem manageable. Cora would later admit, "I pushed him too hard." Every move Cora has made this postseason had seemed to work – this time it did not. Puig made the Red Sox pay; he takes three pitches to get a 3-1 count, then crushes a fat fastball for a three-run home run, 439 feet into the left-field bleachers.
The most memorable home run trot in World Series of Kirk Gibson limping around the bases. Puig immediately raised both hands in celebration; Rodriguez turned and spiked his glove into the dirt with the force of Mount Vesuvius. Puig blew a kiss as well as a rounded first base, and a he as well as a two-sided muscle-man pose.
Kobe Bryant celebrates in the first row behind the plate. Everybody in L.A. is happy. The Dodgers are up 4-0.
7:43 p.m .: Hill has been removed from the game after a walk and a strikeout. Alexander walks Holt, Dave Roberts' lefty-lefty matchup not producing an out. In comes Ryan Madson, the reliever who gives up big hits in the losses in Games 1 and 2. He gets Bradley on an infield pop-up, but then Mitch Moreland, pinch hitting for the pitcher's spot, sits on first pitch changeup and crushes it 437 feet to right field. The Red Sox have two hits, but they're down just one run at 4-3.
"We had two guys go up there and build an inning before me, and we just kept grinding and kept grinding, and finally gave ourselves a chance by putting some guys on base and able to capitalize and get a good swing in a swing. on it, "Moreland said.
Somewhere in the midst of that rally, Chris Sale was in the dugout yelling and screaming at his teammates. "I was down in the tunnel I heard someone yelling," Holt said. "And Mookie came down, he was going down to watch some video." And I said, "Who's yelling up there?" He said, 'Dirty.' Oh, my god, he was mad at us.I think that kind of a bed to die for, we did not want to see him mad anymore.
8 p.m .: Jansen is one of the first six-to-one save and a groundout, he throws a first-pitch cutter to Pearce. It does not cut enough. Pearce launches a towering fly ball to left center – a mere 100.3 mph and 388 feet. Just enough to clear the fence. Tied score 4-4. His home run trot, while less than Puig's, scores high honors for the upraised arm as he rounds first base, followed by the extended finger point to the dugout. Good job, Steve. Silver medal.
8:18 p.m .: Joe Kelly strikes out Yasmani Grandal with the rest of the world Puig stands motionless at third base for 30 seconds, in apparent disgust or disbelief, before finally removing his batting gloves and taking a slow walk to the right field.
8:23 p.m .: Reliever Dylan Floro is in for L.A. Holt double over third base and one second base, his helmet flying off, and leaps up and pumps his fist towards the Boston dugout. The intensity ridiculously crazy, including competing "Let's go, Red Sox!" and "Let's go, Dodgers" songs of the Red Sox have infiltrated Dodger Stadium.
8:27 p.m .: More Cora magic – Rafael Devers pinch hits for the catcher Sandy Leon and his ground ball single up the middle scores Holt to give the Red Sox a 5-4 lead.
8:42 p.m .: Roberts' head is spinning with matchups. After an intentional walk to Betts, Alex Wood comes in to face Andrew Benintendi, who reaches the third base to load the bases. It's amazing how often soft contact produces something good. Kenta Maeda comes in to face Pearce and he drills on 0-1 fastball into right-center for a double bases-clearing. The Red Sox are so pumped up that Nunez punches are so hard in the chest.
8:47 p.m .: After another intentional walk, to J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts a five-run single RBI.
9:09 p.m .: The Dodgers add a couple of runs on Hernandez's two-run homer off Kimbrel, but the game finally ends when Bellinger flies out to the field with a runner on. The Red Sox are a win away from the title.
Sometime after the final out, Cora added a twist to Game 5, announcing that David Price will start instead of Sale. He'll be facing Clayton Kershaw. I have a feeling that will match the baseball gods. Something weird is going to happen Sunday.
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