World Series presented by YouTube TV (2-3-2 format): BOS wins, 4-1
The Red Sox won their fourth World Series title in a 15-season span with a 5-1 victory over the Dodgers in Game 5 at Dodger Stadium on Sunday night. Series Most Valuable Player Steve Pearce, acquired by Boston from Toronto in late June, was again the hero at the plate, belting a two-run homer off Clayton Kershaw in the first inning, and a solo shot off reliever Pedro Baez in the eighth. David Price turned in another strong postseason outing, and none has been bigger in his career -- he tossed seven-plus innings, giving up one run on three hits, walking two and striking out five. Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez also hit solo homers as Boston capped off a 108-win regular season with a championship.

For the second consecutive season, the Dodgers watched an opponent celebrate a World Series title on their home field. Kershaw, who may have taken the mound for the final time with Los Angeles (he has an opt-out clause in his contract that could make him a free agent this winter), had another shaky outing, surrendering four runs on seven hits (three homers) over seven-plus innings. That brought his 2018 postseason ERA to 4.20. As a result of the loss, Los Angeles' title drought will extend to a 31st year.

With first-year manager Alex Cora at the helm, the Red Sox won their first World Series in five years, and fourth since breaking an 86-year drought by sweeping the Cardinals in the 2004 World Series. Boston has won in each of its last four trips to the Fall Classic ('04, '07, '13 and '18), and hasn't lost a World Series since 1986 against the Mets.

The Dodgers reached the Fall Classic for the second consecutive year after losing in seven games to the Astros in 2017. Though they had to win a Game 163 against the Rockies to claim their sixth consecutive NL West title, the Dodgers defeated the NL East champion Braves in the NL Division Series, and the NL Central champion Brewers in the NLCS to set up a World Series rematch with the Red Sox that was 102 years in the making. That's the largest gap between World Series rematches in MLB history.