With the calendar having turned to 2020, DodgerBlue.com ranked the top 10 moments from the previous decade, which was no easy task considering how much success the Los Angeles Dodgers had as a franchise over the last 10 years.
Coming in at No. 6 on the list is the organization’s biggest hit in a World Series game since Kirk Gibson’s walk-off home run in 1988. It came off the bat of Max Muncy in Game 3 against the Boston Red Sox in 2018, and it just so happened to end the longest World Series game in Major League history.
The 2018 season was an interesting one for the Dodgers as they were coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Houston Astros in the 2017 Fall Classic. L.A. got off to a slow start, and while the team eventually got it together after acquiring Manny Machado to replace an injured Corey Seager, it still took a Game 163 to win the National League West.
While the 2018 team objectively was not as good as the previous year’s roster, the NL competition was also not as strong. So the Dodgers were able to return to the World Series to take on a juggernaut Red Sox team.
After dropping the first two games at Fenway Park, the Dodgers returned home for what essentially was a must-win Game 3. They turned to young starter Walker Buehler, who had come through in multiple big games leading up to that point, and he was able to come up big for his team again.
Buehler tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits with seven strikeouts and zero walks. He left with a 1-0 lead, which the bullpen was not able to hold onto as Kenley Jansen gave up a solo home run to Jackie Bradley Jr. to tie the game in the eighth.
The game ended up going 18 innings and longer than seven hours until Muncy stepped to the plate and sent everyone home happy. Facing Nathan Eovaldi, who he almost took deep in his previous at-bat but it was just foul, Muncy made sure to be patient this time around.
He worked the count to 3-0, and then on the seventh offering, went with an outside pitch and launched it to left-center field for a walk-off home run, securing the 3-2 victory for L.A.
While it was a great moment, it was deflated a bit by the Dodgers losing the next two games and dropping the series to the Red Sox in five games. It is one of two walk-off home runs in the World Series in franchise history, and will forever be remembered as such.
Top Dodgers moments of the previous decade
No. 7: Yasiel Puig’s MLB debut against San Diego Padres in 2013
No. 8: Juan Uribe hits a game-winning home run against Atlanta Braves in 2013 NLDS
No. 9: Dodgers clinch NL West title in 2013
No. 10: Adrian Gonzalez hits home run in first at-bat with Dodgers
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