Last night marked the beginning of the last and biggest act in baseball: the 2018 World Series. As for Boston and Los Angeles, this is the first time these two squared off in the Fall Classic since 1916. Then, the Boston Red Sox took the champions game in five game, back when the LA Dodgers were the Brooklyn Robins.
Now, 102 years later, these two ball clubs have made significant statements from just one game. Here is what each squad has done well and what they need to keep doing to win it all.
2018 World Series: What should Boston Do?
What They Did Well
The Boston Red Sox took Game 1 of the 2018 World Series 8-4. In that victory, The Red Sox kept the home crown involved and loud throughout the contention. The fans never relented, even when Los Angeles made the game close or a tie. Not to mention Chris Sale had a soild return to the mound after a recent stomach illness. Before the series heads west, it is best for Boston to take tonight’s game and ship out with a 2-0 series lead.
The Red Sox also stayed persistent on offense. Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez and company kept calm and took their chances when the opportunities came. Even the lesser known Red Sox, like Eduardo Nunez, struck at the opportune moments.
What They Need to Continue
The key-phrase here is “have faith”. First, he Red Sox need to keep having faith in their pitchers. Los Angeles came into this round with a stacked bating order. It’s no surprise that Justin Turner and Manny Machado were able to deal some damage from the batter’s box. But the bullpen held their own and kept the Dodgers at bay. The 2018 World Series brings the best out of both contenders. Knowing the damage potential of the Dodgers, the Red Sox must not take them lightly at any point.
Second, the Red Sox need to keep having faith in their manager, Alex Cora. Cora has been in this situation before: he played for the Red Sox during their 2007 World Series season. He may be a first-year manager, but like he has done all season, he keeps finding ways to win. He has lead the Sox to their best regular season in franchise history and fan out the then-reigning Champion Houston Astros in just five games of the ALCS.
2018 World Series: What Should Los Angeles Do?
What They Did Well
Image courtesy of The Big Lead.
The Los Angeles Dodgers played with a chip on their shoulder and another shot of ending a title drought. Manny Machado showcased an impressive defense, and the batting order showed a great amount of teeth. They kept pressure coming and were not intimidated by Chris Sale being on the mound. They were also to keep Boston on its heels for a while and respond with blows of their own.
What They Need to Continue
Though its offense started off on a good note, that won’t be enough to take the 2018 World Series for themselves. If they want to take over the series, the Dodgers will need to provide as much run support for their pitchers as possible. Boston is armed to the teeth for both pitching and batting. Not to mention lesser known players have made huge impacts in the postseason.
They also need to weather the storm in this match-up. Manager Dave Roberts is no stranger to adversity, especially in the most recent NLCS. They were able to adjust and ward off the Milwaukee Brewers, even though the series went all seven games. With the opponent taking the first victory at home, Roberts and the gang will need to find similar formulas to stay in the game. Boston is no doubt more imposing than Milwaukee. But the Dodgers cannot let that sink in and get in their heads.
If they keep calm, their chances of pulling off an upset will certainly increase.
Featured image courtesy of AP Photo/Chris O’Meara
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