Los Angeles Dodgers Lose Back-to-Back World Series
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen (a strong pitcher who closes off the game to shut down the opposing team’s batting) watches the ninth inning of game five from the dugout, knowing that the team had lost. Jansen, along with the team, had not performed his best and was pulled out of many games early due to errors made.
November 5, 2018
The Los Angeles Dodgers lost after game five in the 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox on Oct. 28. This was the Dodgers’ second time falling short of the title after losing to the Houston Astros in the 2017 series.
The Dodgers put up a tough fight last year, taking it to game seven, but many Dodger fans were disappointed with the team’s performance this year against the Red Sox due to the lack of competitive nature between the two teams.
“After losing last year, this seemed to be the year where the Dodgers could get over the hump, but they went down easily to Boston,” sophomore Luke Shen said. “It was even more disappointing because the teams looked just as talented, but the Dodgers seemed to just not make plays when it mattered most.”
Contradicting many fans’ opinions, Dodgers head manager Dave Roberts said in an interview that he is proud that the team was capable of making it as far as it did and believes the team put up a tough fight.
“To get to the World Series where two teams are playing at the end, it’s very difficult. There’s a lot of hard work that comes with it, a lot of sacrifice, and you got to have good players, and we did that this year,” Roberts said in a post-series interview with Sportsnet. “Our backs were against the wall numerous times, and there were markers and points where we could have gone the other way, but we found ways to win baseball games and ran up against a very good ballclub and just a little bit too much for us.”
Roberts said he believes that the Red Sox are a challenging team and is proud of winning at least one game. In game three of the series on Oct. 26, the Dodgers won the game after 18 innings, the longest World Series game in baseball history, with a walk-off homerun from Dodgers infielder Max Muncy. Despite this victory, both fans and players were unsatisfied with the outcome of the series.
“There’s only one team that can win, we know that, but it just hurts worse when you make it all the way and get second place. I have done that two years in a row now; it doesn’t make it any easier,” Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw said in an interview. “I’m proud to be a part of a group that did get to go to the World Series two years in a row; I’m proud of that. I’m proud of what we were able to accomplish this year as a team. And anytime you lose the last game when you’re in the playoffs it’s no fun, so I’m just disappointed right now for sure.”
