Fans cheer the Boston Red Sox passing by in duckboats during a parade to celebrate the team’s World Series championship over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Boston Red Sox players and supporters celebrated the Major League Baseball team’s victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series with a victory parade Wednesday along city streets.
A day-long celebration of the Red Sox’s fourth championship in the past 15 seasons — after having not won the crown since 1918 until the recent run — began with a rally inside Fenway Park, the oldest major league stadium built in 1912.
Players rode on duck boats, Boston’s famed vehicles that serve as cars or boats, and displayed the championship trophy as they rode down the city streets, fans cheering and singing with delight.
“It’s a dream come true for me and I’m so thankful to be here right now,” said Boston’s Steve Pearce, the World Series Most Valuable Player. “It still feels so weird to hear that, World Series MVP.”
Pearce recalled pitcher Chris Sale and manager Alex Cora gathering the team together when they faced adversity to help revive their momentum on the path to the crown, beating the Dodgers four games to one in the best-of-seven World Series despite losing the longest game in Series history after 18 innings.
“When our backs were against the wall, we banded together and we got it done,” Pearce said. “We figured it out and everything suddenly got going for us. Everybody responded.
“It was what we needed. We came out the next day and responded. That’s what it was all about.”
Signs in the crowd along the streets and in the ballpark included “LA: Lost Again” and “Alexa, Play New York, New York,” the theme song of the arch-rival Yankees, whom the Red Sox vanquished in their first playoff series despite a home loss in game two of the best-of-five matchup.
“We lost game two to the Yankees. Everybody here was so scared,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “Then we scored 16 at Yankee Stadium. Suck on it.”
Price staying in Boston
The Red Sox received good news for next year’s title defense as they seek back-to-back crowns for the first time since 1915 and 1916 as pitcher David Price said he will remain with the club for the final four seasons of his contract, refusing an opt-out clause he had through Wednesday in his seven-year, $217 million deal.
“Yeah, I’m opting in. I’m not going anywhere,” Price said. “I want to win here. We did that this year, and I want to do it again. There wasn’t any reconsideration on my part ever. I came here to win. We did that this year and that was very special. Now we want to do it again.”
Price went winless in his first 11 career playoff starts, then pitched the Red Sox to victory in the clinching game over Houston in the American League Championship Series and starred in games two and five of the World Series.
“He should have been the co-MVP of the World Series,” Red Sox owner John Henry said. “I can’t imagine we would have wound up winning without David Price this year.”