LOS ANGELES, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Steve Pearce slammed a pair of home runs and David Price tossed a seven-inning gem to power the Boston Red Sox to a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers and their fourth World Series title in 15 years on Sunday.

The Red Sox, after winning a franchise record and Major League Baseball best 108 games during the regular season, carried their domination all the way to the World Series and overwhelmed the Dodgers 4-1 in the best-of-seven series.

The Red Sox clinched their ninth World Series title with a lethal combination of power and pitching.

Game Five starter Price surrendered one run on three hits in seven plus innings to collect his third straight postseason win, while all the Red Sox runs were scored via home runs.

Pearce, who was named the World Series most valuable player, gave Boston a 2-0 lead they would never relinquish with a two-run blast in the first and added a solo shot in the eighth. Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez hit solo home runs.

Price said winning the World Series was the whole reason he came to Boston.

"Seeing all these grown men over there just acting like little kids, that's what it's all about," he added. "To come out on top the way we did is unreal.

"This is why I came to Boston. I know it is a tough place to play and challenging with everything that was going to go on there.

"I've been through a lot the three years I've been there but this is why I came."

The Dodgers and their fans arrived at Chavez Ravine on Sunday knowing only 13 teams had clawed their way back from 3-1 deficits to win a best-of-seven postseason series.

The last to do it was the Chicago Cubs against the Cleveland Indians in 2016 as they claimed their first World Series crown in 108 years.

Backed into a corner and with their bullpen worn out, the Dodgers turned to three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw, while the Red Sox countered with their Cy Young winner Price.

The chances of a Fall Classic pitchers duel seemed unlikely when both starters were clobbered for first-inning home runs.

After Andrew Binitendi singled, Pearce took the first pitch he saw from Kershaw and launched into the centre field bleachers for a 2-0 lead.

"Baseball is a funny game, great things can happen and I am very blessed to be here right now," said Pearce, who has played for every team in the American League East. "That's what our team is about we show up every single day.

"We knew we were going to be here the whole time and it is just a great feeling."

The Dodgers, who were beaten by the Houston Astros in last season's World Series, hit back right away when David Freese crushed a leadoff homer to get Los Angeles on the scoreboard.

The first-inning fireworks gave way to the pitching battle many had predicted with Price and Kershaw settling down and tossing four shutout innings.

Boston seized control in the sixth when Betts, in an 0-13 slump at the plate, smashed a solo shot while Martinez connected for a leadoff homer in the seventh.

Kershaw, who has never lived up to his Cy Young credentials in the postseason, endured another rough outing and gave up four runs on seven hits in seven innings of work. (Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Peter Rutherford) </s> LOS ANGELES - The Boston Red Sox won their fourth World Series championship in 15 years, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Game 5 Sunday night behind David Price's pitching and first baseman Steve Pearce's power. Alex Cora became the first manager from Puerto Rico to guide a team to the title. He's just the fifth rookie skipper to do it overall. </s> LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Boston Red Sox overcame a late four run deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-6 in Game Four of the World Series on Saturday and take a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Red Sox scored five runs in the top of the ninth behind RBI hits by Rafael Devers, Steve Pearce and Xander Bogaerts to complete the comeback and put themselves one win away from their fourth World Series title since 2004.

“This team has a lot of fight,” first baseman Pearce, whose bases loaded double in the ninth put the game out of reach, said after the game.

Saturday’s game was played the day after the Dodgers won an 18 inning, seven hour and 20 minute contest in Friday’s Game Three that taxed both sides.

Red Sox second baseman Brock Holt said his team’s ability to bounce back from that loss showed his club’s resiliency.

“Last night, what a baseball game. To lose that one, that one hurt,” he said. “To come out and start out slow but finish like we did it just shows what this team is capable of.”

The Dodgers appeared to have Saturday’s win in hand when Yasiel Puig smashed a three-run home run in the sixth inning to give the home team a 4-0 lead.

But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled starting pitcher Rich Hill in the seventh inning despite the starter only giving up one hit and dominating Boston’s potent lineup on a chilly Southern California evening.

Struggling reliever Ryan Madson gave up a three-run home run to pinch hitter Mitch Moreland later in the inning to cut the Dodgers lead to one.

Roberts then brought closer Kenley Jansen in to try and pitch out the final two innings but the move backfired when Steve Pearce hit a solo home run to tie the game at 4-4.

The floodgates opened for Boston in the top of the final frame with the biggest hit coming from Pearce, whose bases clearing double drove in Devers, Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi in the five-run ninth.

Kiki Hernandez cut the lead with a two-run home run in the bottom of half of inning but it was not enough for the Dodgers, who are trying to win their first title in 30 years.

Roberts defended his controversial decision to pull Hill, telling reporters after the game that the lefty told him he was tiring.

“He said, ‘Keep an eye on me. I’m going to give it everything I have. Let’s go hitter to hitter and just keep an eye on me,’” Roberts said.

“So right there, I know Rich did everything he could, competed, left everything out there.”

The loss is the Dodgers’ first of the season when they had a four run lead. They had been 54-0 in those games before Saturday.

Game Five will be played at Dodger Stadium on Sunday and will feature a clash of left-handed aces with David Price taking the mound for the Red Sox and Clayton Kershaw getting the call for the Dodgers.

The team leading 3-1 has won the World Series 85 percent of the time. </s> The Boston Red Sox captured their fourth World Series title in 15 years Sunday night, as they won the 2018 World Series 4-1 over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In the hours since Chris Sale recorded the final out, the Red Sox haven't stopped celebrating, and even though Boston fans are used to welcoming championship teams in all sports back home, the next few days will be full of celebrations for one of the best teams in Major League Baseball history.

The 119 wins totaled by the Red Sox were the third-most in MLB history, and Red Sox legend Fred Lynn was quick to point out how proud he was of the team for earning that achievement:

A variety of athletes took to Twitter to express their pleasure with the Red Sox coming out on top, including Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Al Horford of the Boston Celtics:

Game 5 was highlighted by a two home run performance out of Most Valuable Player Steve Pearce. The first baseman hit his home runs in the first and eighth innings, while Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez added solo shots of their own.

Pearce, who was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays in June, became the third player 35 or older to hit a pair of home runs in a World Series game, per MLB Stat of the Day:

After he won the MVP, praise came flowing down from a wide range of baseball fans on Twitter for the experienced infielder.

Andrew McCutchen, who was one of Pearce's teammates in Pittsburgh, was one of the first to show the MVP love on Twitter:

Pearce also played for the Baltimore Orioles, and Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer congratulated him on his World Series performance on behalf of the Baltimore organization:

Pearce's MVP honors came 10 yards after a basketball player with a similar last name won the award in the NBA Finals for the Boston Celtics, as MLB's official Twitter account pointed out:

The 35-year-old wasn't the only Red Sox player who enjoyed success throughout the World Series, as Fancred's Jon Heyman tweeted out some notable winners and losers:

Dodgers shortstop Manny Machado came under plenty of criticism for his play and lack of effort during the five games of the World Series.

Machado, who is a free agent, didn't want to comment on where he'll play the 2019 season and beyond, per Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times:

Although the Dodgers' season once again ended in a disappointing World Series loss, Magic Johnson, who is one of the owners of the ball club, expressed his support in the franchise: </s> LOS ANGELES — The Boston Red Sox won their fourth World Series championship in 15 years, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Game 5 Sunday night behind David Price’s pitching and Steve Pearce’s power.

Alex Cora became the first manager from Puerto Rico to guide a team to the title. He’s just the fifth rookie skipper to do it overall.

After posting a team-record 108 wins during the regular season and romping through the AL playoffs, the Red Sox finished off a one-sided Series.

Price threw three-hit ball into the eighth inning. Pearce hit two home runs, a night after his homer and three-run double spurred a late rally.

Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez also connected as the Red Sox hit three homers off Clayton Kershaw.

Los Angeles lost Game 7 of the World Series last year to Houston, also at Dodger Stadium by the same 5-1 score. </s> Boston Red Sox’s Brock Holt, center, celebrates after scoring on a single RBI by Rafael Devers during the ninth inning in Game 4 of the World Series baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

LOS ANGELES — Working on a one-hitter with a 4-0 lead, Rich Hill had just sent Eduardo Nunez down swinging for the first out of the seventh inning.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had seen enough. Walking to the mound, he signalled to the bullpen and Hill was gone.

On came Scott Alexander and the beginning of another troubled outing for Los Angeles’ bullpen in the World Series.

The relievers combined to give up eight of Boston’s nine runs over the final three innings in a 9-6 loss Saturday that sent the Dodgers to the brink of elimination for the second straight year.

“Watching the Dodgers/Red Sox final innings,” he tweeted. “It is amazing how a manager takes out a pitcher who is loose & dominating through almost 7 innings, Rich Hill of Dodgers, and brings in nervous reliever(s) who get shellacked. 4 run lead gone. Managers do it all the time, big mistake!”

Los Angeles trails 3-1 in the best-of-seven Series. Game 5 is Sunday at Dodger Stadium, where the Dodgers lost to Houston in Game 7 a year ago.

Alexander inherited a runner from Hill, who had issued a leadoff walk to Xander Bogaerts. Alexander walked Brock Holt and Roberts was quick with the hook.

The Dodgers turned to Ryan Madson, brought in from the Nationals in August to bolster the ‘pen in high-leverage situations.

Madson gave up a three-run homer to pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland, drawing the Red Sox to 4-3.

The Dodgers turned to Kenley Jansen in the eighth for the second straight game.

RELATED: In longest World Series game ever, Dodgers outlast Red Sox in 18

The All-Star closer served up a one-out homer to Steve Pearce that tied the game at 4-all.

Hours earlier, Jansen gave up Jackie Bradley Jr.’s tying homer in the eighth inning of an epic Game 3, blowing his attempt at a six-out save in his third major World Series failure in two years.

But the bullpen rallied, with eight relievers combining for 11 innings of five-hit ball in the longest World Series game in history. They mostly shut down Boston’s powerful lineup and the Dodgers eked out a 3-2 victory in 18 innings of the 7 hour, 20 minute affair. Converted reliever Alex Wood got the win by pitching out of trouble in the 18th after giving up a leadoff walk.

Jansen struggled against Houston a year ago in the World Series, too.

He gave up a solo homer to Marwin Gonzalez in Game 2 for his first blown save in the post-season. It snapped his major-league record of converting his first 12 post-season save chances.

In Game 5, he took the loss in a 10-inning defeat. </s> Boston Red Sox’s Craig Kimbrel throws during the ninth inning of Game 2 of the World Series baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

BOSTON — From playoff flop to World Series ace in one legacy-changing October, David Price earned his second post-season victory in a row Wednesday night and delivered the Boston Red Sox their second straight World Series win.

The Red Sox left-hander pitched six innings of three-hit ball, and major league RBI leader J.D. Martinez broke a fifth-inning tie with a two-run single during another two-out rally to lead Boston to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers and a 2-0 lead in the World Series.

Game 3 is Friday in Los Angeles. The Dodgers need a win to avoid an 0-3 deficit that no World Series team has ever recovered from.

The Red Sox have won 14 of their last 16 World Series games, dating to a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2004.

Not bad for a team that went 86 years without a championship before then.

And Price had battled a curse of his own.

Price had been 0-9 in his first 10 post-season starts and his team had never won a playoff game he started before this year. Boston has now won his last three starts, including the ALCS Game 5 clincher against the defending champion Astros in which he pitched six shutout innings.

On a frigid night at Fenway Park, Price held the highest-scoring team in the NL hitless through three innings and retired the last seven batters he faced. He struggled only in the fourth, loading the bases with nobody out on two singles and a walk, to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead — their first of the Series.

But the 108-win Red Sox pulled ahead, and once again they waited until there were two outs to do it.

In an uncanny stretch of clutch hitting that has been their hallmark throughout the season, the Red Sox scored all four of their runs in Game 2 with two outs, including a three-run rally in the fifth that only started after Hyun-Jin Ryu set down Ian Kinsler and Jackie Bradley Jr.

Christian Vazquez singled, Mookie Betts did the same and Andrew Benintendi worked the count full before walking to load the bases, chasing Ryu. Ryan Madson walked Steve Pearce to tie the game before Martinez, who had 130 RBIs in the regular season, dropped a soft line drive in front of right fielder Yasiel Puig to score two more and give Boston a 4-2 lead.

Price and three relievers retired the last 16 Los Angeles batters, with Craig Kimbrel closing the Dodgers down in a perfect ninth for his sixth save this post-season.

Boston’s other run came on Kinsler’s two-out single in the second. The Red Sox, who led the majors in two-out runs in the regular season, have scored 36 of their 68 runs this post-season — and nine of their 12 in the Series — with two outs.

And now it’s the Dodgers in a hole.

The last 10 teams to win the first two games of the World Series — and 16 of the last 17 — have gone on to win it all. And the NL West champions will need to do it against a team that has won six straight post-season games and five in a row on the road.

One night after getting four hits, Red Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi made a leaping, spread-eagle catch to rob Brian Dozier of an extra-base hit leading off the fifth. With the ball tailing away from him toward the corner, Benintendi jumped, kicked and pulled it in a few feet in front of the Green Monster scoreboard.

The teams head to the West Coast for Game 3 at Dodger Stadium on Friday. Rookie right-hander Walker Buehler is scheduled to pitch for Los Angeles against likely Boston starter Rick Porcello. </s> Boston Red Sox’s Eduardo Nunez is upended by Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes while Barnes tried to field a wild pitch during the 13th inning in Game 3 of the World Series baseball game on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

LOS ANGELES — Exhausting and then exhilarating for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Max Muncy’s home run leading off the bottom of the 18th inning finally ended the longest World Series game in history early Saturday and gave Los Angeles a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox that drew the Dodgers to 2-1 in the best-of-seven Series.

While the Dodgers mobbed Muncy at home plate, the Red Sox will rue one that got away.

They were oh-so-close in the 13th to taking a huge 3-0 lead. But second baseman Ian Kinsler’s wide throw on a two-out grounder by Yasiel Puig let Los Angeles score the tying run in a game that lasted 7 hours, 20 minutes.

Muncy later homered to left-centre off Nathan Eovaldi, jolting the remaining fans to their feet at 12:30 a.m. A grinning Muncy tossed his helmet in the air as he headed for third.

Recalling Kirk Gibson’s winning pinch-hit homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, Muncy came within feet of ending it in the bottom of the 15th. But his shot to right sailed just foul and he ended up striking out.

The battle of attrition had a bit of everything, including 18 pitchers and 27 position players.

Long after rookie Walker Buehler dazzled over seven shutout innings for the Dodgers, things got interesting.

The Red Sox tied it 1-all in the eighth and took a 2-1 lead in the 13th.

The Dodgers answered with the tying run in the bottom of the inning.

After Dodgers centre fielder Cody Bellinger made the throw of his life in the 10th, both teams scored on bizarre errors in the 13th.

Boston manager Alex Cora used starter David Price in relief, rotated his outfielders in the middle of innings and even put catcher Christian Vazquez at first base for the first time in his big league career.

Out of position players, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called on ace Clayton Kershaw to pinch-hit in the 17th. He flied out.

The stadium organist was busy, too, launching into “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” in the 14th inning — a second version of the seventh-inning stretch. Not many had left by then.

The crowd cheered when the stadium clock reached midnight.

Game 4 is Saturday at Dodger Stadium. Eovaldi was scheduled to start for the Red Sox, but he threw 97 pitches in relief as one of nine pitchers they used. Left-hander Rich Hill starts for the Dodgers.

The Red Sox had a wild 13th, with a walk, a steal, an infield hit and an error before taking a 2-1 lead.

Brock Holt drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Pinch-hitter Eduardo Nunez got flipped on his back by catcher Austin Barnes as he chased Scott Alexander’s wild pitch.

Nunez then reached on a nubber to the right side and Alexander botched the throw to first, allowing Holt to score. Nunez got knocked on his back again in the play at first, but stayed in the game since the Boston had no one left on its bench.

The Dodgers tied it 2-all in the bottom of the 13th. Muncy drew a leadoff walk and tagged up when Nunez tumbled into the third base stands after catching Cody Bellinger’s pop foul. Muncy scored when Kinsler botched the throw to first on Yasiel Puig’s infield single.

Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr. tied it 1-all with a homer off closer Kenley Jansen in the eighth.

RELATED: Price is right for Red Sox in Game 2 win

The Dodgers led 1-0 on Joc Pederson’s two-out homer in the third.

Both teams squandered numerous chances. The Red Sox stranded runners in the 10th and 11th. The Dodgers left runners on in every inning from the fifth to the 11th.

Boston had runners at the corners in the 10th. Pedro Baez walked J.D. Martinez with one out and took third on Holt’s single to centre.

Bellinger started a sensational, inning-ending double play from centre field, catching Nunez’s pinch-hit fly and then firing to catcher Austin Barnes a few feet up the third-base line. Barnes made the tag as Kinsler came barrelling past and both players tumbled to the dirt.

The game began in 78-degree heat — 31 degrees warmer than at Fenway Park for the first two games.

Buehler stymied the Red Sox through seven scoreless innings. The right-hander retired his final 14 batters before leaving after 108 pitches. He allowed two hits, struck out seven and didn’t walk anyone.

Boston starter Rick Porcello gave up one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings, struck out five and walked one.

Hill is 0-0 with a 2.61 ERA this post-season, starting once in the NLDS against Atlanta and once in the NLCS against Milwaukee. He also appeared in relief in Game 6 of the NLCS. </s> LOS ANGELES — A year ago, the Dodgers trudged off into the winter with no regrets, at least none that they would admit.

They were just as good as the Houston Astros, they believed, just as worthy of a championship. It had eluded them but they would return to claim what they felt they deserved.

It’s going to be hard to convince themselves of that this time.

The World Series mulligan they craved lasted just five games. The Boston Red Sox dismissed them in Game 5 on Sunday, hitting four home runs (two by Series MVP Steve Pearce) in a 5-1 victory to claim their fourth World Series title in the past 15 years.

For the second year in a row, baseball’s champion was crowned at Dodger Stadium and it wasn’t the home team, an indignity no team had experienced since the 1936-37 New York Giants.

“We did too many bad things in the playoffs and that’s why the Red Sox are the World Series champs for 2018 and we’re losing again, back-to-back Series,” Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig said. “Everybody in this clubhouse feels bad. Everybody feels sad. But we didn’t do the things to win a championship.”

It took the longest game in the history of the World Series for the Dodgers to even get one victory in this Series. Their wait for a title will go into a 31st year and another blue October will be remembered for the slumped shoulders of Clayton Kershaw.

Whatever demons have denied Los Angeles for three decades now have saved their most pointed torment for Kershaw.

“Disappointed. Yeah, just disappointed, I think,” Kershaw said when asked his emotions after coming up short in October again. “There’s only one team that can win and we know that. But it just hurts worse when you make it all the way and get second place. So having done that two years in a row now – it doesn’t make it any easier.”

No longer the Superman who had tried to will the Dodgers to a championship in the past, this Kershaw with the diminished velocity gave up three home runs Sunday – a two-run shot to Pearce in the first inning, putting the Dodgers down to stay, and solo homers to Mookie Betts (ending an 0-for-13 slide) and J.D. Martinez.

“I thought honestly Kersh was throwing a good game,” Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes said. “Solo homers got us in the end. He kept us tight, 2-1, for most of the game. Then a couple mistakes to a really good team over there. They have a good lineup. They make you pay. I thought we were doing a pretty good job, for the most part. They just kind of outslugged us.”

Pitching in a postseason game that could end the Dodgers’ season for the 10th time (thesixth start), Kershaw now has a 5.40 ERA in those games. Six of the 10 were season-ending losses for the Dodgers and Kershaw has given up eight home runs in those potential elimination games, more than any other pitcher in history.

In his six starts in those elimination games, Kershaw has a 6.06 ERA. According to Baseball-Reference.com, only 24 pitchers in baseball history have started four or more elimination games for their team. None have an ERA as high as Kershaw in those must-win situations.

“He doesn’t quit, man. He’s one of the best,” said Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, Kershaw’s teammate in six painful Octobers now. “People need to be grateful to see a pitcher like that in their generation. We might not see another one in a while. He might go down as one of the best lefties to ever play this game.

“Yes, we struggle. You can say whatever. You can say we struggle in the postseason or whatever. Still, I’m proud of Kersh. I’m proud of how he competes. He never gives up. He goes out there and competes and tries to lift his team. Sometimes it doesn’t go your way and you fall short. But that’s what gets us better. I know that Kersh is going to keep motivating himself and try to get back here on this stage next year. That’s what we’re going to do now.”

Whether Kershaw makes that effort in a Dodgers’ uniform remains the first off-season question the team needs to answer. After Sunday’s loss, Kershaw again said he has not made a decision on his opt-out clause, saying he has three days to decide whether to use it – correcting himself from earlier this month when he thought it was a 10-day window after the end of the World Series.

“I’ve got three days now to think about all of that stuff before anything happens,” Kershaw said. “So it will be an eventful three days for me and I’ll try to figure it out.”

The postseason redemption Kershaw must crave belongs to Red Sox left-hander David Price this fall. Pitching on short rest, Price held the Dodgers to three hits over seven innings in Game 5, claiming his second victory in the Series. Two of the hits in Game 5 came from David Freese, placed in the leadoff spot because the Dodgers didn’t know how long the left-handed Price would go before being replaced by a right-handed reliever.

Freese did his part. He homered off Price in the first inning and legged out a triple in the third when right fielder J.D. Martinez lost his deep fly ball in the dusky sky.

But the Dodgers stranded Freese at third after that gift, their only at-bats with runners in scoring position in Game 5. That was just as well. They hit .200 (4 for 20) with RISP in this series and a dreadful .192 (20 for 104) in the postseason – a number remarkable for not having sunk their chances earlier.

For all the criticism of Dave Roberts’ pitching decisions – they weren’t good – it was a lack of offense that did sink the Dodgers ultimately.

They hit a weak .180 (34 for 189) in the World Series and were outscored 28-16 by the team that led baseball in runs scored this season. When it came time to adjust against a steady diet of good pitching, the National League’s home run leaders failed to do it adequately and slugged only occasionally.

With Price pitching on short rest in Game 5, the Dodgers’ goal was to drive up his pitch count and get him out of the game or capitalize on his fatigue. That never materialized. They went down on fewer than 10 pitches four times in the first seven innings against Price, keeping his pitch count low enough for him to pitch into the eighth inning and hand the ball where he handed the ball to Joe Kelly.

The Dodgers didn’t even put a ball in play over the final two innings. Kelly struck out three Dodgers in a row in the eighth. Chris Sale did the same in the ninth. Freese’s gifted triple was the Dodgers’ last hit until next spring.

“I expect us to be back here next year – but celebrating on the field,” Roberts said.
In baseball's World Series, the Boston Red Sox defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth game, winning the series four games to one and claiming the team's ninth World Series title. Red Sox first baseman Steve Pearce is named the Series' Most Valuable Player.