Eduardo Nunez slammed a three-run pinch hit homer and Andrew Benintendi collected four hits to power the Boston Red Sox to a 8-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game One of the MLB World Series at Fenway Park in Boston on Tuesday.
The first World Series meeting between the two iconic franchises in 112 years had been a seesaw battle until Nunez stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the seventh and took Dodgers reliever Alex Wood over the "Green Monster," cashing in Benintendi and J.D. Martinez.
Eduardo Nunez of Red Sox raises his finger in celebration as he rounds first base following his bottom of the 7th inning home run during the Game One of MLB World Series in Boston, Massachusetts, US, October 23, 2018. /VCG Photo
With the teams sending out their aces, Game One had offered the promise of a marquee pitching duel between Red Sox seven-time all-star Chris Sale and Dodgers three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw.
But both starters were colder than the crisp fall weather, lasting just four plus innings.
Kershaw endured another rough outing, surrendering five runs on seven hits to take the loss.
Sale yielded three runs on five hits.
Clayton Kershaw of Los Angeles Dodgers delivers the pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox in Game One of the MLB World Series at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, US, October 23, 2018. /VCG Photo
The Red Sox wasted no time revving up the chilled Fenway faithful with Benintendi and J.D. Martinez connecting on run scoring singles to stake Boston to a 2-0 first inning lead.
Los Angeles answered right back in the top of the second with a solo home run from Matt Kemp, then tied it up in third on a Manny Machado soft roller to left field.
The Red Sox would retake the lead 3-2 in the bottom of inning, Martinez slamming a two-out double off the center field wall scoring Steve Pearce.
The rollercoaster contest continued into the fifth as Sale opened the inning by issuing a leadoff walk to Brian Dozier.
Boston Red Sox teammates celebrate their 8-4 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game One of the MLB World Series at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, US, October 23, 2018. /VCG Photo
Boston would not escape the inning without surrendering a run as Machado ground out to score Dozier and pull level at 3-3.
But once again the Red Sox would hit back, scoring a pair at the bottom of the same inning after driving Kershaw from the game.
With the bases loaded, Dodgers reliever Ryan Madson was able to limit the damage to a Xander Bogaerts force out scoring Mookie Betts and an RBI single from Rafael Devers.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the seventh but could manage only a single run, Machado bringing across his third of the game on a sacrifice fly that trimmed the Boston advantage to 5-4 before Nunez put the contest out of reach.