The Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox kicked off what would become the longest World Series game in MLB history on October 26, 2018
Joc Pederson’s single home run in the second inning of Game 3 gave the Dodgers, who were behind 2-0 in the series, an early lead. That would be the final score until the eighth inning, when Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a solo home run to tie the game.
Eduardo Núñez led the Red Sox with a walk in the first inning and a throwing error on an infield single. The Red Sox then had a dreadful inning of their own, and the Dodgers were three outs from a frightening 3-0 series deficit.
In the fifteenth inning, Max Muncy came dangerously close to hitting a walk-off home run when he hooked a few feet foul on an infield single by Yasiel Puig, tying the score. Nathan Eovaldi then struck out to end the at-bat.
After three innings, Muncy hit a game-winning home drive to left center field after getting just enough fastball to clear the fence.
The explosion concluded the longest World Series game in history in terms of both total innings played (18) and total time (7 hours, 20 minutes). Game 3 started at Dodger Stadium on October 26 and ended in the wee hours of October 27, so the marathon took place across portions of two different days.
Kirk Gibson’s walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series was the only other walk-off home run in Dodgers team history.
After the Dodgers’ postseason walk-off home run, Max Muncy experienced “pure joy.”
Following his game-winning home run, Muncy talked about his feelings as he circled the bases. When facing Eovaldi, Muncy remarked, “He had really good stuff all night long and he wasn’t missing a spot.”
“He attempted to use the backdoor cutter again in the next at-bat, but he hit this one a bit over the plate. And I’m glad he did, because I was able to reach it with my bat.
It felt like a dream. It’s difficult to describe the bizarre experience of this entire year,” he remarked. But it’s been kind of rounded off by getting to play in the World Series.
“There aren’t many words I can use to describe getting to hit a walk-off home run after that. The sensation was one of overwhelming excitement and sheer joy. That’s pretty much the only thing that comes to mind because the feeling is so wonderful.