For the second consecutive year, the Los Angeles Dodgers found themselves on the losing end of a tough World Series in their home ballpark. Stymied by the Boston Red Sox pitching staff, again failed to get the bats going in the deciding Game 5 at Dodger Stadium.
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The resurgent David Price put forth another efficient start, logging seven innings pitched of one-run ball while limiting the Dodgers lineup to only three hits and five overall baserunners in the contest.
A lack of consistent offensive production hurt Los Angeles all series long. The club produced only 15 runs in the five-game series, while their counterpart came through with clutch hits when it mattered most.
Manny Machado, who was acquired by the Dodgers in July, was particularly heartbroken over the the World Series loss. “It definitely sucks losing,” he said from a somber clubhouse.
“The pain through your body, knowing how much everyone in here wanted to win, how much everyone put into getting here, and falling short, it’s definitely devastating.”
Although some may believe coming up short in the World Series is unlike any other defeat, Machado doesn’t necessarily view it as such. “I mean, a loss is a loss. It doesn’t matter how, when, what happened. At the end of the day, we lost and we’re going home, and they’re the world champs. That feeling is going to hurt no matter what.”
Machado, like many of his teammates, struggled at the plate in the Fall Classic. He recorded a mere four singles in 22 at-bats and overall batted .182/.208/.182 in five games.
Even with the Dodgers’ woes, they showed signs of a potential turnaround in Game 4. But the bullpen would squander a 4-0 lead over the final three innings of play and missed a prime opportunity to tie up the World Series at two wins apiece.
“We had a chance,” Machado added. “We came back early, we just didn’t have enough. They played well, they had the momentum going for them. We weren’t able to get past that hump.”
With the offseason now officially underway, Machado was one of seven players to reach free agency on Monday morning. The general consensus is that he will land a lucrative contract elsewhere, due in part to shortstop Corey Seager’s imminent return from Tommy John and hip operations.
