KNOCKING THE ‘SOX’ OFF BASEBALL FANS

Move over, bloody sock; step aside, Carlton Fisk: Make room for the 2018 World Series champions.

Boston followed up its historic regular season by capping it off the only way it should have ended, with a championship on Sunday evening. Cruising through the MLB playoffs with only three losses, the Red Sox continued their dominance of the 2018 season.

While on paper it looked like a cakewalk, in reality, Boston battled adversity at every turn. Many different players had to step up in big situations and execute accordingly. From pitching, to managing, to battling with two strikes or two outs, there were many times when someone had to leave his mark on a superb World Series.

It begins with the most “gutsy” starting pitcher. Chris Sale was hospitalized the week before the World Series with stomach pain, and was questionable to make his scheduled start in Game 1. He joked about it, saying that his belly button ring was what caused the irritation, lightening the mood and showing that he was prepared to take the ball.

Though he would last only four innings, Boston’s ace struck out seven batters and set up the Boston bullpen to take on the last five innings in an 8-4 win.

Next, we have Eduardo Núñez. Dealing with an ankle injury for most of the season, the utility infielder fought through major pain in Game 3 after being flipped over by the Dodgers’ catcher, Austin Barnes, scrambling for a loose baseball.

With Boston having no other backups available as the extra-inning game stretched beyond four, fix, and then six hours, Núñez knew he had to stay in the game, sacrificing his body to try to give the Sox an advantage. He ended up on the ground what seemed to be about 10 times, but the man got up every time, never even thinking about sitting out.

Probably most inspiring of all the Game 3 efforts, coming out of the bullpen one night before his scheduled Game 4 start, pitcher Nathan Eovaldi pitched an absolute gem of a relief game. He went six innings, only allowing three hits, in the dramatic, 18-inning, 3-2 defeat.

Although the Red Sox lost the game, Eovaldi’s performance will go down as one of the greatest relief performances in Series history. After the amazing game, Boston starting pitcher Rick Porcello admitted to crying following Eovaldi’s heroic stretch and called it “the most incredible pitching performance I’ve ever seen.”

Now, the person who was just barely edged out for World Series Most Valuable Player: Left-hand pitcher David Price. Price signed with Boston for seven years back in 2015, which at the time, for Red Sox fans, seemed questionable at best. Bringing in a guy who had his fair share of differences with the Sox in the past and would be under contract until his late 30s was a risk.

But, come Sunday night, no one will ever question that decision ever again. Price tossed an absolute gem, going seven innings. His only mistake was a home run, given up on his first pitch of the game. Following that stumble he was lights-out, allowing only two more hits, one coming on what should have considered an error on right fielder J.D. Martinez, and at one point retiring 14 straight batters.

Having cemented himself in Red Sox history, Price has also likely solidified his bid at the Hall of Fame.

Last, but certainly not least: the Series MVP, Steve Pearce.

Growing up a Red Sox fan, Pearce, of course, dreamed of winning the World Series. Little did he know that it would be this sweet. After years of bouncing around seven different teams, including every team in the American League East division, he finally snagged a spot on a contending Boston team this summer.

Pearce’s career has had plenty of ups and downs, and the 35-year-old utility player was not sure how much longer he had a chance of getting an elusive championship ring. But come 2018, the perfect storm hit and he took it by the horns. Totaling three home runs and eight RBIs in just five Series games, he finally got to live every baseball player’s fantasy, winning World Series MVP for his favorite team.

Congratulations to Pearce and all the Boston Red Sox – you guys are champions, now and forever.