Los Angeles Dodgers to face Boston Red Sox in World Series after game seven win
Sunday 21 October 2018 11:26, UK
Yasiel Puig's three-run homer helped the Los Angeles Dodgers secure a World Series berth as they defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 in Game Seven of the National League Championship Series.
Puig's deep shot, combined with some superb pitching, helped the secure a 4-3 series victory and a date with the Boston Red Sox to decide the sport's world championship.
Christian Yelich had given the Brewers a 1-0 lead at Miller Park with a first-inning home run but the home side failed to take a number of chances they earned against Dodgers rookie Walker Buehler.
That lead did not last long as Brewers starter Jhoulys Chacin served up a two-run bomb to Cody Bellinger in the top of the second before an hour when both offenses were shut down.
Buehler was helped by some superb defence from Dodgers outfielder Chris Taylor, whose fifth-inning catch robbed Yelich of an extra-base hit that would almost certainly have levelled the scores.
And the game would turn completely in the Dodgers' direction in the top of the sixth when Puig launched a pitch from Jeremy Jeffress some 413 feet into deep left center field for what would turn out to be the final runs of the series.
Kenley Jansen came out of the bullpen to claim four outs and the Dodgers would then turn to their ace starting pitcher - Clayton Kershaw - to secure the final three outs.
"I'm just so proud of our guys for enduring this roller coaster of a season," manager Dave Roberts said.
"I'm looking forward to going back to Fenway. Obviously for me personally I have a lot of fond memories of the Red Sox and Fenway Park.
"To be wearing another uniform going in there playing for a World Series Championship is going to be special for me. But, yeah, I think that the fans -- it's great for baseball. Two storied franchises going head-to-head. It's going to be a great series."
The World Series gets underway on Tuesday night at Fenway Park in Boston, with the Red Sox having beaten the Houston Astros in five games to secure their place.
