DODGERS & BOSTON RED SOX BATTLED THROUGH 18 INNINGS- WORLD SERIES SEQUEL, "THE LATE, LATE SHO"

Dodgers Produce 18-Inning World Series Sequel, ‘The Late, Late Sho’

In a game that will forever be etched in baseball lore, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox battled through 18 innings — yes, eighteen — in a World Series marathon that tested endurance, patience, and sheer willpower. Dubbed “The Late, Late Show”, this epic showdown became the longest game in World Series history, both by innings and duration, clocking in at over seven hours and twenty minutes of unforgettable baseball.

A Night to Remember

The game began like any other — a crisp evening at Dodger Stadium, filled with anticipation as the Dodgers sought to climb back into the Series after trailing the powerhouse Red Sox. But as the innings wore on and neither team yielded, the matchup transformed from a contest into a war of attrition. Pitchers came and went, position players turned into relief heroes, and fans stayed glued to their seats, running on coffee, adrenaline, and sheer disbelief.

By the time the 13th inning arrived, it was clear that both sides were exhausted — mentally and physically. The bullpens were depleted, benches were bare, and strategies gave way to pure survival.

Muncy’s Moment

The hero of the night — or rather, the morning — was Max Muncy, whose walk-off home run in the bottom of the 18th finally ended the Dodgers’ endless night. As the ball soared into the Los Angeles sky and over the left-field wall, Dodger Stadium erupted. Fireworks lit up the night as teammates swarmed Muncy at home plate, finally breaking the deadlock in what felt like a game that might never end.

“I just wanted to end it,” Muncy later joked. “We were all running on fumes. But this is what you dream about — hitting a walk-off homer in the World Series.”

The Grind and the Glory

Both teams combined to use 18 pitchers and 561 pitches. The game saw defensive gems, clutch escapes, and heart-stopping moments where one swing could have changed everything. For the fans watching on the East Coast, the final out came well past 3:30 a.m., making “The Late, Late Show” title feel perfectly fitting.

Boston’s Nathan Eovaldi delivered one of the most remarkable relief performances in recent memory, throwing more than six innings in relief — a feat rarely seen from a starting pitcher, let alone in the postseason. Though he ultimately took the loss, his effort earned universal respect across baseball.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called it “one of the gutsiest performances I’ve ever witnessed,” while Red Sox skipper Alex Cora described the night as “baseball at its purest — crazy, exhausting, and absolutely beautiful.”

History Made

The 18-inning thriller shattered the previous World Series record for longest game, which had been 14 innings. The total time — 7 hours, 20 minutes — also set a new mark for endurance, surpassing even the marathon games of the past century.

What made it even more remarkable was the contrast between exhaustion and elation — both dugouts running on instinct, fans refusing to leave, and baseball showing why it remains a game of infinite suspense.

Aftermath and Legacy

While the Dodgers won that battle, the Red Sox ultimately won the war, capturing the 2018 World Series in five games. Yet, for one unforgettable night in Los Angeles, the spotlight belonged to those who stayed awake to witness something truly extraordinary.

The 18-inning “Late, Late Show” was more than just a baseball game — it was a cinematic epic of persistence, heartbreak, and triumph. It reminded the world why October baseball holds such magic: because sometimes, the games that seem like they’ll never end are the ones you never want to.