Exhausted yet exhilarated, the Dodgers headed home for a catnap. The Red Sox may well toss and turn thinking about one that got away.

Max MuncyB次元官网网址檚 home run leading off the bottom of the 18th inning finally ended the longest World Series game in history early Saturday and gave Los Angeles a 3-2 victory over Boston that drew the Dodgers to 2-1 in the best-of-seven matchup.

Muncy homered to left-centre on a full-count pitch from Nathan Eovaldi, jolting the remaining fans to their feet at 12:30 a.m. A grinning Muncy tossed his helmet aside as he headed for third in the final scene of a pivotal game that lasted 7 hours, 20 minutes.

B次元官网网址淭he feeling was just pure joy and incredible excitement,B次元官网网址� he said.

The Dodgers mobbed Muncy at home plate, celebrating the solo shot that pulled them back from the brink of a potential 3-0 Series deficit that no team has ever recovered from.

The Red Sox could only rue their near-miss.

They were oh-so-close in the 13th to taking a commanding Series lead. But veteran second baseman Ian KinslerB次元官网网址檚 wide throw on a two-out grounder by Yasiel Puig let Los Angeles score the tying run.

B次元官网网址淗ad the last out in my glove and couldnB次元官网网址檛 get it over there. ItB次元官网网址檚 tough to swallow,B次元官网网址� Kinsler said.

B次元官网网址淚 feel like I let the team down right there,B次元官网网址� he said.

Said Red Sox manager Alex Cora: B次元官网网址淚t was just a bad night.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e had some situations that we could have put them away and then we didnB次元官网网址檛. And at the end we paid the price,B次元官网网址� he said.

Evoking memories of Kirk GibsonB次元官网网址檚 winning pinch-hit homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, Muncy came within feet of ending it in the bottom of the 15th. But his shot to right sailed just foul and he ended up striking out.

B次元官网网址淚 really thought I had it,B次元官网网址� Muncy said. B次元官网网址淭hat was kind of defeating at that point, but I was able to get back and get another shot.B次元官网网址�

The battle of attrition had a bit of everything: 46 players, including 18 pitchers, and 561 pitches. Never before had a Series game gone more than 14 innings.

Two games in one, really. And a fall classic, indeed.

B次元官网网址淚t was a must-win for us. Our guys just persevered,B次元官网网址� Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

How long did they play? Put it this way: The game took 15 minutes more than the entire 1939 World Series when the Yankees swept Cincinnati, STATS said.

Long after rookie Walker Buehler dazzled over seven shutout innings for the Dodgers, things got interesting.

The Red Sox tied it 1-all in the eighth on a homer by Jackie Bradley Jr. and took a 2-1 lead in the 13th.

Los Angeles answered with the tying run in the bottom of the inning.

After Dodgers centre fielder Cody Bellinger made the throw of his life in the 10th, both teams scored on bizarre errors in the 13th.

Cora used starter David Price in relief, rotated his outfielders in the middle of innings and even put catcher Christian Vazquez at first base for the first time in his big league career.

Out of position players, Roberts called on ace Clayton Kershaw to pinch-hit in the 17th. He flied out.

The stadium organist was busy, too, launching into B次元官网网址淭ake Me Out to the Ball GameB次元官网网址� in the 14th inning B次元官网网址� a second version of the seventh-inning stretch. Not many had left by then.

The crowd cheered when the stadium clock struck midnight.

B次元官网网址淲hat a ballgame. What a marathon,B次元官网网址� Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner said. B次元官网网址淯nbelievable fight from our club.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 think my beard got about 3 inches longer.B次元官网网址�

The Dodgers snacked on peanut butter and banana sandwiches whipped up by a team employee, and hung a bag of bananas over the dugout railing to change their luck.

B次元官网网址淲e were well-fueled,B次元官网网址� Kershaw said.

Game 4 is later Saturday at Dodger Stadium. Eovaldi had been scheduled to start for the Red Sox, but he threw 97 pitches over six-plus innings in relief as one of nine pitchers they used. The Dodgers backtracked on Rich Hill and said they would announce a starter later.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a little tired, but weB次元官网网址檙e ready to come back tomorrow,B次元官网网址� Los Angles slugger Yasiel Puig said, looking at his watch and adding, B次元官网网址渋n a couple of hours.B次元官网网址�

The Red Sox had a wild 13th with a walk, a steal, an infield hit and an error before taking a 2-1 lead.

Brock Holt drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Pinch-hitter Eduardo Nunez got flipped on his back by catcher Austin Barnes as he chased Scott AlexanderB次元官网网址檚 wild pitch.

Nunez then reached on a nubber to the right side and Alexander bungled the toss to first, allowing Holt to score. Nunez got knocked on his back again on the play at first, but stayed in the game as Boston had no one left on its bench.

The Dodgers tied it 2-all in the bottom of the 13th. Muncy drew a leadoff walk and tagged up when Nunez tumbled into the third base stands after catching BellingerB次元官网网址檚 pop foul. Muncy scored when Kinsler botched the throw to first on PuigB次元官网网址檚 infield single.

Bradley Jr. tied it at 1 with a drive off closer Kenley Jansen in the eighth.

The Dodgers led 1-0 on Joc PedersonB次元官网网址檚 two-out homer in the third.

Both teams squandered numerous chances. The Red Sox stranded runners in the 10th and 11th. The Dodgers left runners on in every inning from the fifth to the 11th.

Boston had runners at the corners in the 10th. Pedro Baez walked J.D. Martinez with one out and took third on HoltB次元官网网址檚 single to centre.

Bellinger started a sensational, inning-ending double play from centre field, catching NunezB次元官网网址檚 pinch-hit fly and then firing to catcher Austin Barnes a few feet up the third-base line. Barnes made the tag as Kinsler came barrelling past and both players tumbled to the dirt.

The game began in 78-degree heat B次元官网网址� 31 degrees warmer than at Fenway Park for the first two games.

Buehler stymied the Red Sox through seven innings. The right-hander retired his final 14 batters before leaving after 108 pitches. He allowed two hits, struck out seven and didnB次元官网网址檛 walk anyone.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 got an overt confidence, a quiet confidence, a little combo,B次元官网网址� Roberts said. B次元官网网址淏ut heB次元官网网址檚 got tremendous stuff, and he lives for moments like this.B次元官网网址�

Boston starter Rick Porcello gave up one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Alex Wood threw a hitless inning for the win.

ALL NIGHT LONG

Previously, the longest post-season game by time was San FranciscoB次元官网网址檚 18-inning win over Washington that took 6 hours, 23 minutes, during the 2014 NL Division Series. The only other playoff game to last 18 innings was HoustonB次元官网网址檚 victory over Atlanta in the 2005 NLDS.

STREAK STOPPERS

The Red Sox had won six straight games, starting in the ALCS. They had been 5-0 on the road this post-season.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: Cora hadnB次元官网网址檛 decided on a Game 4 starter.

Dodgers: After the game, the team said its starter would be announced later. Left-hander Rich Hill had been set to go.

Beth Harris, The Associated Press

Like us on and follow us on .